The California Highway Patrol is getting closer to making an arrest of the man who caused a deadly Oct. 7 crash in which both a husband and wife were killed.
Killed instantly in the crash at Central and Taylor roads south of Keyes was Betty Tackett, 73, of Ceres. Her husband, Deon Tackett, 74, suffered major injuries and died a week later.
The California Highway Patrol said that the Tacketts were southbound on Central Avenue at 55 mph in a 2002 Ford SUV at approximately 8:20 p.m. As they were approaching Taylor Road, a motorist pulled his 1991 Ford pickup in front of their path from the left, causing the SUV to strike the pickup on its passenger side. The crash pushed both vehicles off the road and strike a utility pole. The vehicles came to rest in a grapevine.
The driver who caused the crash ran from the scene. The CHP used the license plate number on the crashed pickup to develop a suspect and his address.
"The investigation is just going all different directions however we have locked in on the person we really want to talk to," said Tom Killian, Public Information Officer with the California Highway Patrol. "It is a top priority."
Killian could not release the suspect's identity. Officers have been in touch with the man's girlfriend and need to get a bilingual officer to communicate.
"We don't believe she fully understands what we're asking or the ramifications of her concealing this guy," said Killian.
The driver faces charges of vehicular manslaughter and felony hit and run, said Killian.
Killed instantly in the crash at Central and Taylor roads south of Keyes was Betty Tackett, 73, of Ceres. Her husband, Deon Tackett, 74, suffered major injuries and died a week later.
The California Highway Patrol said that the Tacketts were southbound on Central Avenue at 55 mph in a 2002 Ford SUV at approximately 8:20 p.m. As they were approaching Taylor Road, a motorist pulled his 1991 Ford pickup in front of their path from the left, causing the SUV to strike the pickup on its passenger side. The crash pushed both vehicles off the road and strike a utility pole. The vehicles came to rest in a grapevine.
The driver who caused the crash ran from the scene. The CHP used the license plate number on the crashed pickup to develop a suspect and his address.
"The investigation is just going all different directions however we have locked in on the person we really want to talk to," said Tom Killian, Public Information Officer with the California Highway Patrol. "It is a top priority."
Killian could not release the suspect's identity. Officers have been in touch with the man's girlfriend and need to get a bilingual officer to communicate.
"We don't believe she fully understands what we're asking or the ramifications of her concealing this guy," said Killian.
The driver faces charges of vehicular manslaughter and felony hit and run, said Killian.
