Man charged in connection with crash that killed 77-year-old in West Philadelphia
Dorothea Cathell, 77, was struck and killed at 54th Street and Lancaster Avenue, police said.
A Philadelphia man has been charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence in the hit-and-run killing of a 77-year-old grandmother in the Overbrook area of West Philadelphia late last week, police announced Tuesday.
Michael Harper, 47, surrendered Monday to Philadelphia police, the same day they located the black Infiniti believed to be involved in the fatal crash. Harper faces a slew of other charges, including accident involving death, recklessly endangering another person, and reckless driving.
» READ MORE: Police detain person of interest in West Philadelphia hit-and-run that killed 77-year-old
It was not immediately clear Tuesday afternoon if Harper had a lawyer. According to court records, Harper was cited in May and later pleaded guilty to driving with a suspended or revoked license and driving an unregistered vehicle.
Dorothea Cathell was walking home from the store about 5:20 p.m. Friday, when police said she was struck by a speeding driver at 54th Street and Lancaster Avenue.
The driver fled, police said, and then dropped a passenger at a pizza shop at 56th Street and Girard Avenue. The car’s front windshield, hood and grill were severely damaged, according to police.
Cathell’s son, Ralph Cathell, told 6abc that she was a mother to four, grandmother to 20, and three-time cancer survivor.
“She was a 77-year-old mother, grandmother, community activist. A woman of God, a child of God, she helped everybody,” he told the TV station.