Hit and run injures 2 women

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) -- Police are searching for a hit and run driver who struck two elderly women, sending them to the hospital.

According to Fort Lauderdale Police, two women in their 60s were crossing the street when a dark colored sport utility vehicle struck them at around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. Authorities said the hit and run happened on the 1100 block of Las Olas Boulevard.

Both women were transported to Broward General Medical Center. Carolyn Bianco, 65, suffered the worst of the injuries. Her family reported that she was in stable condition and suffered a severe blow to her head. Victoria Kirby, 62, also had to be hospitalized but was released by Thursday afternoon.

Pietro Rota, a waiter at a restaurant near where the hit and run occurred witnessed the scene soon after the SUV left the scene. "I heard the hostess screaming, 'Oh, my gosh,' and I looked there and saw somebody on the floor, and I said, 'Call 911,'" he said.

Fort Lauderdale Police Sgt. Frank Sousa said they are following clues that may just lead them to the culprit. "We're looking for a dark-colored SUV, possibly an American-made SUV," he said. "There were pieces of the SUV, which our traffic homicide investigator hopes to match up with local dealerships to try to narrow down exactly what kind of car we are exactly looking for."

Police are also looking at surveillance video from near the scene, to see if any cameras caught a vehicle matching the suspect vehicle description, near the time of the accident.

If you have any information on this hit and run, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward.

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