The Target on Reisterstown Road in Pikesville, Maryland, sits just a short walk from a bustling residential stretch. It was along this very block that 64‑year‑old Melissa Nocho met a tragic end, struck by a speeding Hyundai driver who fled the scene, according to Baltimore County police.
## The Fatal Walk Home
On the evening of September 24, Nocho was making her way home from Target, crossing the busy 1700 block of Reisterstown Road in Pikesville, Baltimore County. Her family says she was simply heading back to her house after an ordinary shopping trip.
## A Niece’s Heart‑Wrenching Account
“She was just walking on her way back from Target to her house. She had to cross a busy street on Reisterstown Road. Unfortunately, there was a car that was going very, very fast and it hit her, and she flew six feet in the air,” Nocho’s niece, Zariah Lewis, told local NBC affiliate WBAL. “It’s disgusting, honestly; I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.”
## Police Response and Immediate Aftermath
Baltimore County officers arrived at the scene around 9:15 p.m. after receiving reports of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. They found an injured woman,later identified as Melissa Nocho,and learned that the driver had left the area. Emergency responders rushed Nocho to a nearby hospital with life‑threatening injuries. She was pronounced dead on September 30.
## Investigators Identify the Suspect Vehicle
Police determined that the fleeing vehicle was a black Hyundai Elantra. They released an image of the sedan along with a rendering of the apparent driver, urging anyone with information to come forward.
## Family’s Call for Justice
For now, Lewis and the rest of Nocho’s family must wait for answers. “We all just love on each other so hard, and we loved Melissa the most because she was like the glue of our family,” Lewis said in a statement to the TV station. “She was a mother, a grandmother, and an aunt. She was such a free‑light spirit. She was so beautiful and full of life… She just had that aura, that energy. You could see God off of her. She was just so bright.”
## Conclusion
The loss of Melissa Nocho underscores the devastating impact of reckless driving. While investigators continue to pursue the driver responsible for this senseless hit‑and‑run, Nocho’s family and friends remember her as a vibrant, loving presence whose spirit still shines brightly in their lives. The community hopes for swift justice and a renewed commitment to road safety to prevent such tragedies from happening again.
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