MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — A Berkeley County sheriff’s deputy said finding the driver of a truck that crashed into a home killing an elderly woman Monday evening is a top priority.
Cpl. Zachary Anaya, who is leading the investigation, said Wednesday on MetroNews “Talkline” the department is following up on several leads.
“At this time, I want to use every lead that I can be given to continue to work the case,” Anaya said. “I’m not going to give up on anything. We’ve checked leads all of the way to Hampshire County. I’m a rabid dog in this and I’m going to track it down even if it takes me halfway across the state.”
The truck crashed into the home at just before 6 p.m. Monday. Anaya said it went right through the front door of a home on Blairton Road in Baker Heights claiming the life of Elva Bittorie, 76. She was sitting in a chair in her living room when she was struck. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Berkeley County Sheriff Curtis Keller and Corporal Anaya speak with @HoppyKercheval about the hit and run that claimed the life of Berkeley County woman, Elva Bittorie, of the 800 Block of Blairton Road. WATCH: https://t.co/wkudfIRZCB pic.twitter.com/ILdqIOaMNC
— MetroNews (@WVMetroNews) December 23, 2020
Anaya said the truck actually hit the home twice.
“It’s a sharp S-turn where the home sits. The vehicle had gone clear off the roadway – looked like they hadn’t even tried to navigate the turn – and goes directly into the front door of the home, and then backs up. They end up actually making a secondary impact on the side of the house, and then they fled out through the front yard,” he said.
Anaya said investigators believe the driver was operating a 2003 to 2006 white or tan Chevrolet Silverado.
“We did an initial scene work up. We pulled a large amount of car parts from the scene which we’ve managed to do a reconstruction on and put parts back together to get what we believe now is a pretty good identification of the vehicle; that matched with some security footage that we’ve been provided by local citizens and businesses,” he said.
Anaya said they are hoping anyone who has camera footage of Route 45 that night can help, as well.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office at 304-267-7000.
According to Anaya, any charges filed will be in consultation with the office of the Berkeley County prosecutor.
Berkeley County Sheriff Curtis Keller said the department has been in constant contact with Bittorie’s family.