Hit-and-run suspect tracked down with help of Reddit users
Motoring experts help catch criminal
A POLICE officer in Washington was able to arrest a hit-and-run suspect, with the assistance of some eagle-eyed car enthusiasts on the news aggregation website Reddit.
As part of an investigation into the incident that resulted in the death of a cyclist, the Washington State Patrol’s Johnna Batiste posted images of evidence from the crime scene onto her Twitter profile on August 9.
The roadway is open SR7/320th. Troopers and detectives are still looking for a black vehicle believed to be involved in this mornings tragic bicyclist fatality. If you know anything regarding this collision, please call the Washing State Patrol. pic.twitter.com/pafJLeh54i
— Trooper Johnna Batiste (@wspd1pio) 9 August 2018
One photo showed a piece of black trim that was believed to have originated from the vehicle that struck the cyclist. It didn’t take long for some very observant petrolheads to correctly identify the part.
Within 10 minutes of Batiste’s post, the photo of the incriminating plastic shard had found its way onto Reddit. Another two hours or so after that, a person with the username “JeffsNuts”, who claimed to be a former state vehicle inspector, recognised it to be part of a headlight surround for a 1988 Chevrolet Silverado pick-up truck.
On August 14, the Washington State Patrol managed to track down the Chevy truck they were looking for, with the vehicle still sporting damage around the right headlight assembly. The driver of the utility vehicle was arrested by the force later that day.
WSP detectives made an arrest today for Thursday’s fatal bicyclist hit and run in Eatonville. Reddit users identify a photographed broken car part as a mid 1980s Chevy truck headlight assembly. Local anonymous tip confirms and led to the arrest of a driver of an 1986 Chevy K-10. pic.twitter.com/WaIlkkClfr
— Trooper Johnna Batiste (@wspd1pio) 14 August 2018
And they say people have had enough of experts…
