Autopian Readers Use Tiny Headlight Shards To Identify Car Suspected In Hit-And-Run, But There’s More To Be Done

2014 Avenger Police
ADVERTISEMENT

One of the community service activities we’ve been engaged in since we were at the old site is helping authorities identify car parts left behind in hit-and-runs, kidnappings, or other violent crimes. Earlier this year, detectives with the Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia asked for help in identifying a headlight fragment from a fatal hit-and-run and we shared those images with you. Police have confirmed readers correctly identified a vehicle used in a crime and are looking for help in finding the car.

According to police, an unknown person struck a woman who was “at the intersection of Huntsman Boulevard and Bridle Wood Boulevard, around 8:00 pm” on December 27th in Fairfax, Virginia. The woman was killed and the driver and car disappeared.

There wasn’t much to go on, just a turn signal and a few shreds of headlights:

Amazingly, our readers quickly realized it was from a 2008-to-2014 Dodge Avenger:

Dodge Avenger Topshot

Thank you to everyone who helped identify the vehicle. I got a call from Sergeant Jacob Pearce earlier this week informing me that detectives confirmed the fragments did indeed come from the Avenger and thanked us for our assistance. They also did a post about it on their blog. But we’re not done, folks. Most important is that detectives haven’t found the vehicle yet and it’s been months now. They’d like more help:

Detectives would like to speak to anyone who may have information about this crash. Those with information are asked to please call our Crash Reconstruction Unit at 703-280-0543. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through Crime Solvers by phone – (703)-246-4676, and by web –Click HERE. Download the ‘P3 Tips’ App and follow the steps to “Fairfax Co Crime Solvers”. Anonymous tipsters are eligible for cash rewards. Please leave contact information if you wish for a detective to follow up with you.

If you know anything or know anyone who might know something, please let the local police know using the link above.

About the Author

View All My Posts

10 thoughts on “Autopian Readers Use Tiny Headlight Shards To Identify Car Suspected In Hit-And-Run, But There’s More To Be Done

  1. With the vehicle identification can’t they search local street cameras and businesses videos even ring cameras in the area to I’d Dodges in the area and check them out?

    1. Add to that, I’m pretty sure just about every Avenger running around the DC area has some sort of body damage, so one with a busted headlight isn’t going to stand out much. They’re like Nissans, they get damaged and just stay like that forever, nobody repairs them.

      1. They keep putting variables into the system, but the number of potential cars doesn’t go down. “A Dodge Avenger with front end damage, rear end damage, expired tags, rust holes, curb rash on the outside AND inside of the wheels, no muffler, and, I don’t know, a dead cat in the engine compartment?”

        *Over 999 matches found. Please refine search criteria*

        “Oh for f***s sake.”

Leave a Reply