Phoenix fatal hit-and-run: Police search for gold Toyota Sienna van after woman, dog killed
Brother of Phoenix hit-and-run victim Genieva Vega pleads for driver to 'come clean'
Investigators are asking the public for help finding a gold champagne Toyota Sienna van involved in the fatal Oct. 24 hit-and-run death of Genieva Vega in Phoenix. Her brother, Joseph, is asking the driver to "come clean."
PHOENIX - The brother of a hit-and-run victim is sharing his family's heartbreak after his sister, Genieva Vega, was killed in a Phoenix while walking her dog to the grocery store.
The backstory:
Sgt. Sheree Lee with the Phoenix Police Department and Joseph Vega, the victim's brother, spoke with FOX 10 regarding details about the fatal hit-and-run crash.
The crash happened around 7 p.m. on Oct. 24th, when Genieva and her dog were walking and crossing the street around the area of 800 East Missouri Avenue, when a vehicle struck both of them. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she later died from her injuries. The vehicle that we’re seeking is a light, either gold champagne or tan-colored Toyota Sienna van.
"I got the call around 11:45 from Phoenix PD. And they’re asking me questions. Like, 'Do you have a sister living in Phoenix?' And, like, 'What is their date of birth?'," Joseph recalled. "I thought this was a scam call at first. And these questions are just a little too specific, like a little just strange, and then they inform me that, 'Your sister and her dog has been involved in a hit-and-run, and she’s in critical care right now. And they’re being transported to the hospital right now.'
"I work in critical care, so I kind of know exactly what goes on. I know that that’s one of the last barriers between life and death. I know some people can recover and get out. And, but that’s usually the last place people see," he said.
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Brother pleads for driver to 'come clean' after Phoenix hit-and-run kills woman, her dog
Genieve Vega and her dog Baxter were killed by a hit-and-run driver in Phoenix on Oct. 24. Her brother is pleading for the driver to turn themselves in.
What Joseph is Saying:
Joseph described the discovery of the crash as a "complete shock," saying it left him feeling paralyzed.
"When someone dies, especially in a case like this, like, you want to get all your friends to kind of do the investigative work alongside, like, the police doing their job, too. Just because you want to have that. Rather be peace of mind, or you just want to know exactly how it happened."
He said it’s been a lot to put the pieces of it together while also coping with the loss.
"The last time I was here, we were visiting her with my friends and with my family, and she was showing me all her cool spots to be around and all the hiking spots, all the food spots. And just being here the past, like, week and a half, I’ve been just getting the sense that I’m going to see her," he added.
Dig deeper:
Joseph was asked what he would say to witnesses or someone who knows who was driving the gold minivan.
"Come clean and just make sure that areas like this don’t happen again," he said.
What you can do:
Lee explained how the public can come forward if they know anything about this case by contacting the Phoenix Police Department or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS, or 480-TESTIGO in Spanish. A tip can be submitted online at silentwitness.org.
Authorities and the family hope that someone somewhere knows something and can help solve this case.
Map of the area of the hit-and-run.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Sgt. Sheree Lee, a police sergeant with the Phoenix Police Department; Joseph Vega, the victim's brother; and previous FOX 10 reports.