Police arrest 17-year-old driver who struck, killed South Hill jogger

A woman jogging Wednesday morning near Manito Country Club on the South Hill was struck and killed by a teenager who then fled on foot, according to police.

The jogger, who was found unresponsive in the road, was taken to the hospital where she was in critical condition, according to a Spokane Police Department news release Wednesday morning. Officer Daniel Strassenberg, spokesman for the department, said Wednesday night the jogger had died.

The driver, a 17-year-old boy, is said to have crashed into the victim in the area of 49th Avenue and Perry Street around 5:30 a.m., according to the release. The teenager then fled – without shoes – toward Eagle Ridge, where police eventually located and detained him with help from the public.

Another jogger was with the injured woman during the collision, but was not hurt. A passenger remained in the car and “was treated for minor injuries,” the news release said.

Strassenberg said the driver’s speed and the area’s speed limit are presently unknown.

The suspect was arrested on suspicion of vehicular assault, felony hit-and-run and DUI, but Strassenberg said Wednesday night prosecutors could amend the charges based on the jogger’s death.

Police suspect speed and impairment contributed to the crash.

Neither the driver nor the victim have been identified.

S-R reporter Garrett Cabeza contributed to this story.