Video gives Lexington police new details on vehicle involved in fatal hit-and-run
Lexington police have found surveillance footage that may help find the driver in a hit-and-run that killed a 15-year-old girl earlier this week.
Police believe the vehicle that hit and killed 15-year-old Tamaris Mack was a light-colored Chevrolet Tahoe made between 2000 and 2006, the department said Friday. The vehicle appeared to have black trim on the sides. Tamaris was struck at 1:02 a.m. Wednesday.
“After striking the pedestrian, the involved vehicle stopped momentarily but then fled the scene failing to call police or render aid to the juvenile,” Sgt. Donnell Gordon said Friday. “The vehicle continued to flee outbound on Bryan Station Road.”
Investigators weren’t ready to release the surveillance video, which was located near the scene, police said. Police also would not release a photo of the vehicle from the video.
Investigators were still working Friday to identify the vehicle and the driver, according to the department.
Tamaris was found dead in the road, police said Wednesday. Responding officers were called to the 400 block of Bryanwood Parkway. But investigators believed the girl was hit in the area of Bryan Station Road near Rookwood Parkway, about 0.3 miles from where she was found, according to police.
Tamaris was a freshman at Bryan Station High School, according to Fayette County Public Schools. Classes resume Monday after spring break this week. The district’s team of grief counselors was made aware of the death, and they’ve “already made plans to support the student and staff in light of this tragedy,” district spokesperson Lisa Deffendall said.
Stephanie Durbin, a teacher at Bryan Station Middle School who taught Tamaris as an eighth-grader last year, said she’ll “absolutely” remember her positively.
“She was super quiet but super sweet,” Durbin said. “She would do anything for you.”
Durbin said Tamaris has a younger sister in seventh grade, and school officials are working on plans to help the family.
“We really just couldn’t believe it,” she said.
Tamaris’ family created a GoFundMe in the girl’s memory to help support the family while dealing with her death.
“Tamaris will forever be in our hearts,” the family said on the GoFundMe page.
Donors offered condolences and kind words about Mack.
“She was the sweetest person I have met and she definitely didn’t deserve this,” Andrea Davis said on the GoFundMe page. “She deserves to have a nice service.”
Anyone with information about the case was asked to contact the Lexington Police Collision Reconstruction Unit at (859) 258-3663. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Bluegrass Crime Stoppers by calling (859) 253-2020, online at www.bluegrasscrimestoppers.com, or through the P3 tips app available at www.p3tips.com.
This story was originally published April 2, 2021 at 12:35 PM.