Sister of victim killed in hit-and-run crash talks to FOX 26
HOUSTON - Shaye Thomas, sister to 36-year-old Evelina McKenzie, known by her family, friends and loved ones as Lina, spoke with FOX 26 hours after learning her sister was killed in a hit-and-run crash in southeast Houston.
"I don’t know too much. All I know is that I was leaving my house and a detective came to tell me my sister was killed," said Thomas.
BACKGROUND: Driver fled after Houston crash that left pedestrian dead, car flipped: police
Thomas is now searching for answers.
"I just want to thank the people that tried to save her, but she was literally all I had, and then for you to kill her and leave. Where’s the remorse, where’s the remorse?" says Thomas.
Houston police said around 1:30 a.m. Monday, a Dodge Charger landed on its roof on Clearwood Street after the driver was speeding and lost control.
They say the car went smashing into a light pole and flipped over, before hitting and killing Evelina.
"You took not only my sister; you took my nieces and nephews’ mother away from them," says Thomas.
"Not only were you speeding, I don’t know if you were drunk, showing off, but you clearly know you hit somebody, and you got out your car and left," says Thomas. "So, you can’t play victim, you can't act like you don’t know what you did, and my sister laid here and died by herself."
Thomas says it’s hard to cope with the fact that her best friend and sister is now longer here.
"When I did talk to a detective, I was told that she would only be charged with hit-and-run and not rendering assistance," says Thomas. "Hit and run and my sister is laying in a morgue, really."
There were three other passengers inside the car.
Police say the passengers told them they don’t know the driver’s name, having just met at a club.
Shame tells us, she doesn’t believe that.
"The stories don’t add up, you just don’t meet someone at the club and just jump into a car with some random person," says Thomas.
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The driver is described to be a Hispanic woman in her mid-30s.
Police say the investigation is ongoing. The driver is being sought for failure to stop and render aid, a felony.
Anyone with information on the wanted driver is urged to contact the HPD Hit and Run Unit at (713) 247-4072 or speak anonymously to Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-TIPS.