SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It was an emotional community event Wednesday in South Sacramento as people gathered to hear an update from police on a hit-and-run that took the life of an 87-year-old grandmother Lien Dang.
The Sacramento Chinese of Indochina Friendship Association hosted the forum at its headquarters near State Route 99 and 47th Avenue. Dozens of people attended the event to hear remarks from Sacramento City Councilmember Eric Guerra and Sacramento Police Department Lieutenant Marnie Stigerts. The main topic being, where are police at in the investigation?
“Unfortunately, we aren’t to the point that we can make an arrest at this point," Stigerts said after briefly giving the group an update.
Police so far have impounded a vehicle they believe has some connection to the hit-and-run. Stigerts said the vehicle was found a few minutes after the crash near the area. She went on to say the vehicle could give police some good information and a clear path, though police said they did not arrest the driver of the impounded vehicle because they weren't at the scene. So far, no arrests have been made in the case.
“Obviously, we have a lot of good information, having a car that we believe is related to this in our custody," Stigerts said. "We are able to work on things like DNA. We are able to work on things like blood evidence.”
She went on to say police could also consider fingerprint evidence.
The family of Dang was at the event. Her daughter was one of the first to speak directly to Stigerts with a plea for police to work diligently on the case.
“We understand that it will take time however it’s been almost two weeks," Dang's daughter said. "There are video, apparently, you guys have evidence in terms of the car, the vehicle… we are asking you guys, there (is a) community out there, there are people that seen what happened that night. We are just asking that this will not be put aside.”
Stigerts expressed that police are working the case to the best of their ability. She added that even though police have the vehicle they believe is connected to the crime, they want to make sure the evidence points to the right person.
“We want to make sure that all of our steps are taken to make sure that we have a good quality arrest so we can have a good quality prosecution," Stigerts said.
ABC10 reported in late September that Dang was killed in a hit-and-run on Sept. 25 on Lemon Hill Avenue off Stockton Boulevard. Family members said the elderly woman was in the area, roughly four to five blocks from her home in South Sacramento to feed the hungry and homeless when a driver struck her and took off. Police say Dang died at the scene.
"For her to do be killed while doing a good deed is heartbreaking," said her daughter, Angela Chen back in September. "My mother is a very loving giving and most caring mother and grandmother to all of us and even people she doesn’t know… like the homeless."
Police encourage any witnesses with information regarding this investigation to contact the dispatch center at (916) 808-5471 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP (4357).
