Tewksbury Police Department Identify Vehicle Involved in Hit and Run, Actively Investigating Incident

TEWKSBURY — Chief Ryan Columbus reports that the Tewksbury Police Department responded to and is actively investigating a hit and run that occurred Thursday night. 

On Thursday, Feb. 12, at about 9:02 p.m., Tewksbury Police were dispatched to the area of 17 Park Ave. for report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. 

Crews arrived on scene and observed a green Lexus NX350 with damage to the driver’s side of the vehicle. A pedestrian, who appeared to be injured, was on the ground by the vehicle. Tewksbury Police rendered initial medical care to the pedestrian before the Tewksbury Fire Department arrived on scene and took over treatment. 

The victim was transported to Lowell General Hospital for treatment of serious injuries that are not believed to be life-threating.

Through an initial investigation, it was determined that another vehicle had fled the area after crashing into the pedestrian and their vehicle.

Tewksbury Police contacted the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis & Reconstruction Section and the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office Motor Vehicle Fatality Hotline to brief them on the situation. 

Tewksbury Police utilized automated license plate readers to identify a 2016 Kia Sorrento that was driving in the area at the time. The ongoing investigation led Tewksbury Police to a Kia Sorrento registered to a Billerica resident. 

Tewksbury Police, with assistance from Billerica Police, executed a search warrant for the vehicle on Friday morning and have determined the Kia Sorrento was involved in the crash. The vehicle was taken to the Tewksbury Police Department by Stuart’s Towing. 

No arrests have been made at this time. This is an active Tewksbury Police investigation. 

“We would not have been able to identify the vehicle involved in this incident without the use of automatic plate readers,” said Chief Columbus. “Having access to technology in policing is important, as it can provide new information in investigations that ultimately leads to arrests. In this case, we could identify and possess the vehicle involved within 12 hours of the initial incident.”