AMARILLO, TEXAS -- A teenager sits behind bars after police say he was involved in a hit and run accident that killed an Amarillo woman.
Officers were called to the 1600 block of West I-40 Saturday night at 6:00 p.m. on reports of an accident.
Once on scene, officers found a 1998 Chevy Suburban had been struck and rolled down the overpass embankment at West I-40 and Bowie.
The driver of the Suburban, 78-year old Mearlene Hooker Scott, was transported to a local hospital where she died from her injuries suffered in the accident.
Police say Scott was headed westbound on I-40 when she was hit by a 2008 Pontiac G6. This caused her to lose control of her vehicle and roll.
The driver of the Pontiac, 18-year old Edwin Ortiz, fled the scene of the accident.
Officers later located Ortiz and his vehicle in the area of West 16th and Lamar.
Witnesses tell police, at the time of the accident, the Pontiac had been racing another vehicle on I-40.
Ortiz was arrested and booked into Potter County Jail on charges of failure to stop and render aid and racing causing death.
An autopsy has been ordered. The case is being investigated by the Traffic Investigation Unit of the Amarillo Police Department.
