A Hit and Run Causes Anger and Sorrow

John Perry was in his house on Stearns Ave. on Monday, July 11, in the late afternoon when he heard the sound of screeching tires and a crash nearby. He ran towards the sound, to see if anyone was injured. While no one had been hurt in the crash, there was a fatal injury.

"I heard my dog yelp and saw him laying at the end of the driveway," he said. "My beautiful dog was hit and killed. I saw the driver speeding up Stearns Ave. toward Route 106."

He said that judging from the sound of the incident, the screeching tires and the loud crash, he felt there was no way the driver was unaware of the incident. Perry said he could not positively identify the vehicle or its plates, saying only that it was a black SUV, possibly a Volvo or a Lexus. He also said that the SUV was most likely damaged from the incident.

The vehicle, if it continued on its route towards Rte. 106, would have passed right by the .

"I do not understand how anybody can leave the scene of an accident, especially knowing they hit something," he said. "This could of been my nine-year-old daughter and I do not believe they would of stopped."

Perry said that the incident has hit his family hard. Their dog was a part of the family, and he does not understand how someone could drive off after that.

"This person has torn my daughters heart out," he said. "She does not understand how someone could hit and kill her faithful companion, and not even care."

Hit and runs are not uncommon in Mansfield, occurring about two to three times a week, according to the police log, but the majority of reported cases are between two vehicles.