Police seek help ID’ing hit-run driver, vehicle that killed man in West Philly

Police are seeking help in identifying a driver and vehicle involved in a hit-and-run crash that killed a 61-year-old man Sunday in West Philadelphia.

The vehicle was westbound at high speed on Lancaster Avenue near Aspen Street when it struck the man about 3:15 a.m., police said. He was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead about an hour later.

Police on Tuesday identified the victim as Kenneth Whiters of the 5800 block of Montrose Street in West Philadelphia.

Investigators have a video that shows the man being struck and landing on the hood of the vehicle, said Capt. Sekou Kinebrew, a police spokesperson. The vehicle "never stopped," he said.

Kinebrew said the vehicle's make and model were not known, but were "consistent with" a late-model Mazda3 hatchback. Police are unable to describe it precisely because of its speed and the darkness, he said. Police later Tuesday said the vehicle is believed to be silver and has a sunroof and fog lights.

The car likely has significant windshield and hood damage, Kinebrew said.

A surveillance video released by police showed the vehicle heading west on Lancaster before the crash. It also showed the victim, who was hunched over, walking in the middle of the street and heading east on Lancaster near Aspen.

Kinebrew pleaded for anyone who knows the driver or has information on the vehicle to call police. "These are human beings," he said of the victim. "This is a human being with a family that this happened to. We will not get justice or closure if we don't find who was traveling in that car."

Tipsters, who can remain anonymous, should contact Officer Lackman at the Accident Investigation Division at 215-685-3180, or can submit a tip online.