Nurse charged in fatal Nicetown hit-run
Philadelphia police have charged a registered nurse with vehicular homicide for the hit-and-run accident that killed a 15-year-old girl Friday night.
Philadelphia police have charged a registered nurse with vehicular homicide for the hit-and-run accident that killed a 15-year-old girl Friday night.
Michelle Johnson, 40, of the 5900 block of North Lawrence Street, was arrested last night and charged with numerous offenses, including leaving the scene of a fatal accident.
The teen, Mary Lee Otto of Nicetown, was walking in the center median trying to cross Rhawn Street, near Lexington Avenue, with several friends shortly after 11 p.m. when she was struck, police said.
Police were looking for a Toyota Sequoia with front-end damage and were sent to look at one parked at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility on State Road.
Police later learned that the vehicle, which had front end damage and a cracked windshield, was leased by Johnson.
Authorities said Johnson was heading to the prison, where she worked as a nurse, when she struck the teen, panicked and fled. Police said she reported to work that night.
Otto was taken to Frankford Hospital-Torresdale Campus, where she was pronounced dead four hours after the accident.
Johnson works for a private health company contracted to provide medical services for the prison. Prison spokesman Robert Eskind said she has been employed there since July 2006, but her privileges were suspended pending the criminal investigation.
