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Hit And Run Victim Finally Seeing Justice Done
In 2012, there were more than 9,000 hit and run cases in Austin. Police arrested less than 350 people in those cases; leaving the vast majority of them unsolved.
A KEYE TV investigation into one of those cases has now led to an arrest.
When we first met Sims Walker in early January, he was selling off his coin collection in hopes of paying his growing stack of medical bills that had accumulated since a car accident in December 2011.
"You do what you got to do," he said with resignation.
It's only been three weeks since that first initial meeting, but today, Walker is a bit more optimistic about his future.
"Now, I see something is finally being done," he said with a smile.
Walker was the victim of a hit-and-run accident in December 2011. The suspect rear-ended Walker's car and then ran off leaving him injured and trapped inside. For more than a year, the investigation sat stalled.
"I gave them a full description of the guy," said Walker with frustration. "I described him down to a tee."
Despite saying he could identify the suspect, it wasn't until after our story aired in January that Walker was shown a line-up of suspects. Then, within days, police made an arrest. Earnest Hatton is now charged with felony failure to stop and render aid in connection with the hit-and-run.
"I'm relieved because I tried just about everything," said Walker. "And then of course, we got in touch with you and you seemed to have an interest in seeing that something was done, and because of that it happened."
For Walker, the arrest means more than just seeing justice served. Without it, he says the insurance company was fighting against paying any medical bills or damages. Now, with new movement on his case a year later, he's hoping to finally put the whole thing behind him.
"I just want to be done with it. That's all I want. I want it to be over with," Walker said.
Austin Police say the reason Sims walker was never shown a lineup earlier in the process, is because police say he told them he wasn't sure if he could identify the suspect.
By Karen Kiley
Hit And Run Victim Finally Seeing Justice Done
In 2012, there were more than 9,000 hit and run cases in Austin. Police arrested less than 350 people in those cases; leaving the vast majority of them unsolved.
A KEYE TV investigation into one of those cases has now led to an arrest.
When we first met Sims Walker in early January, he was selling off his coin collection in hopes of paying his growing stack of medical bills that had accumulated since a car accident in December 2011.
"You do what you got to do," he said with resignation.
It's only been three weeks since that first initial meeting, but today, Walker is a bit more optimistic about his future.
"Now, I see something is finally being done," he said with a smile.
Walker was the victim of a hit-and-run accident in December 2011. The suspect rear-ended Walker's car and then ran off leaving him injured and trapped inside. For more than a year, the investigation sat stalled.
"I gave them a full description of the guy," said Walker with frustration. "I described him down to a tee."
Despite saying he could identify the suspect, it wasn't until after our story aired in January that Walker was shown a line-up of suspects. Then, within days, police made an arrest. Earnest Hatton is now charged with felony failure to stop and render aid in connection with the hit-and-run.
"I'm relieved because I tried just about everything," said Walker. "And then of course, we got in touch with you and you seemed to have an interest in seeing that something was done, and because of that it happened."
For Walker, the arrest means more than just seeing justice served. Without it, he says the insurance company was fighting against paying any medical bills or damages. Now, with new movement on his case a year later, he's hoping to finally put the whole thing behind him.
"I just want to be done with it. That's all I want. I want it to be over with," Walker said.
Austin Police say the reason Sims walker was never shown a lineup earlier in the process, is because police say he told them he wasn't sure if he could identify the suspect.
By Karen Kiley
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