Post by Scumhunter on May 31, 2021 1:03:19 GMT -5
(Above photo credit: projectcoldcase.org)
From fox59.com (2013 article, some details may now be outdated):
BEECH GROVE – The family of Ronald “Red” Van Atta wants the public to step forward and help find the driver who hit and killed him.
Van Atta was struck near the intersection of South Emerson and Hornet Avenue at 11 p.m. Sunday. He died at the hospital Monday morning.
Police relayed a message directly to that driver.
“I would tell them that there’s a family here, that’s suffering and grieving and they need your help for closure,” Beech Grove Captain Robert Mercuri said.
Van Atta’s death came at the end of a tumultuous weekend. He had been stabbed during a bar fight early Sunday before getting into a confrontation with police at the hospital.
Just hours later, Van Atta reportedly got out of his fiance’s car during a fight into the middle of traffic. Police are trying to figure out if the hit and run accident is linked or just a tragic accident.
Police are looking for a late ‘90s model station wagon, a Mercury Sable or Ford Taurus that is dark in color. It has a plastic trash bag in the rear passenger window.
fox59.com/news/family-hopes-for-closure-in-deadly-hit-and-run/#axzz2cRm4cOcn
Thoughts? I want to stress once again the above article is from 8 years ago, so some details may now be outdated, however, as of today's posting date (May 31st, 2921), Ronald Van Atta's case is still listed as an unsolved homicide on the Project: Cold Case website database.
Yes, it does sound like Van Atta didn't make the best choices the weekend that ended his life, but that doesn't absolve personal responsibility on behalf of the hit and run driver.
Quite frankly, I'm surprised the driver never came forward since they could have claimed not seeing Van Atta suddenly in traffic and it would have been a decent defense in my opinion, leading to a possible theory it could be more than hit and a run and either related to the fight and/or a motorist just annoyed at seeing Van Atta in the middle of the intersection and driving over him on purpose unfortunately.
Even though this is eight years ago, it's still possible that the details may be remember by the right person and hopefully they, unlike the driver, does the right thing and comes forward.
database.projectcoldcase.org/?name=vanatta&gender=&race=&age=&city=&state=Indiana&zip=&county=&weapon=&offense=&status=&year=&lea=&reported_min=&reported_max=&more=
Admin Note #1: According to the Project: Cold Case website, Anyone who has any information about this case, the identity, or location of the suspect(s) in this case is asked to contact the Beech Grove Police Department at 317-782-4930
Admin Note #2: If you have any news-related updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form