RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Adriana Velasquez was waiting at a red light on Broad Street when a truck hit her car causing a multi-car crash Monday afternoon.
“This company truck came like flying at me and then hit my back, and I hit the car in front of me,” Velasquez said. “He told me to pull over to basically exchange information then he started taking off.”
The hit-and-run happened on West Broad and North Sheppard streets near The Hof in Scott’s Addition. Velazquez said she couldn’t believe the truck driver sped away after hitting three cars, so she decided to chase him down.
“Once he realized I was following him, he started booking it,” Velasquez said.
The 29-year-old lost sight of the truck in traffic but a nearby restaurant caught the vehicle speeding away on camera as Velasquez follows him in her banged-up white Volkswagon Jetta.
Using the video footage from the store, Velasquez was able to make out the name of the company truck, Tidewater Utility Construction, INC.
According to Linkedin, TUCI is based in Suffolk and is a heavy utility contractor with service in the Tidewater area and Richmond.
Velazquez was able to file a police report Monday afternoon after the accident happened. However, she told 8News Richmond Police have not been as helpful as she thought they would be.
“It seemed like I was doing all the leg work to track down the truck that hit me,” Velasquez said.
After finding out the company name, Velazquez sent an email to TUCI with the video attachment of the company truck speeding away as she follows it.
In an email, TUCI wrote to Velasquez, they said ‘we have identified the employee and I have attempted to call Sgt. Jones four times.
Velasquez said Richmond Police reassigned her a detective and she is hopeful RPD can work with her and TUCI to continue the investigation.
Stay with 8News for updates.
