Mpls. Police Need Help Solving Fatal Hit-And-Run
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Like so many south Minneapolis neighborhoods, 43rd Street and Nicollet Avenue is a mix of small shops and quaint restaurants.
Barb and Lou Mahigel were crossing that intersection on Sunday evening to dine and celebrate 52 years of marriage.
Barb, a 74-year-old retired Seward Elementary teacher, was struck as she walked, cane in hand, just ahead of her husband.
The driver of a dark-colored sedan never stopped. Witnesses say that car was speeding well over the 30-mile-per-hour posted limit.
"We need the public's help with this case, we need them to come forward with any information," said Minneapolis Police Spokesman Scott Seroka. "If you've heard anything, if you saw anything, if you were in that area at that time."
Taylor Stockert lives and works near the crime scene. He says that with so much pedestrian traffic along the street, he is concerned there is no controlled crossing in the area.
"It's horrible, but I'm not surprised because the intersection is unmarked. There is no crosswalk, there are no stop sign, there's no lights and it's a really busy block," Stockert said.
Family and friends say Barb was generous to a fault, especially with the underprivileged. It was common for Barb to hand out $50 tips to those she thought could use it.
She loved to sew, make quilts and have lunch with her girlfriends each Wednesday. Friends say she was very involved with a number of charitable organizations.
Barb's son, Mike Mahigel, released this heartbreaking statement:
"I'd like you to know that if my mother had accidentally struck you with her car on the evening of November 27th, she would have stopped. She would have gotten out of her car and hoped for God's forgiveness. She would have hurried to your side and would have held your hand as you writhed in pain, and gasped for air while lying helpless on the cold pavement. She would have prayed that you survived without serious injury and that you and your family would remain whole. She would have accepted the consequences of her actions no matter what they were. She would have lived out her years with constant guilt and in constant grief, but she would have lived knowing that she did everything she could to save you and give closure to your family. I am begging for you to come forward and rectify your mistake. Please accept the chance to give my mother the respect she deserved and her family the closure it so desperately needs."
Anyone with information is asked to call Minneapolis Police at 612-692-8477.
