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Michael Harper Charged in West Philadelphia Hit-and-Run That Killed 77-Year-Old Dorothea Cathell

Police say the 47-year-old surrendered following the recovery of a damaged black Infiniti Q50 tied to the crash.

Overview

  • Cathell was struck around 5:20 p.m. Friday near 54th Street and Lancaster Avenue as she walked home and later died at Lankenau Medical Center.
  • Investigators say the driver reversed down Lancaster Avenue, dropped a female passenger near 56th and Girard, then fled.
  • Police recovered the suspected Infiniti on the 2700 block of Snyder Avenue in South Philadelphia on Monday.
  • Harper has been charged with homicide by vehicle, accidents involving death, and related offenses.
  • Neighbors built a memorial for Cathell, a longtime resident described by family as a mother of four, a devoted grandmother, and a three-time cancer survivor.