Suspect in Radnor fatal hit and run set to surrender

A suspect in the fatal hit-and-run crash that took the life of a pedestrian on Lancaster Avenue was expected to surrender to face charges Thursday, police said.

Radnor police indicated the suspect would surrender to authorities at the township building Thursday morning. Radnor police and the Delaware County District Attorney’s office had scheduled a press conference to discuss the completion of the investigation and arrest at 1:30 p.m. at the Radnor Township Municipal Building

Radnor police earlier this week said they found the vehicle they believe ran over the 69-year-old man who was crossing Lancaster Avenue on March 6, killing him.

The vehicle, a white GMC Yukon, is registered to a Willistown, Chester County, address. Police said they had a person of interest who was under investigation. Last week Radnor police held a press conference seeking the public’s help in finding the vehicle and posting a $10,000 reward for information, and releasing video and several images of the white SUV

believed involved.

Fred Gitterman, the victim, was crossing in the 500 block of Lancaster Avenue around 8:08 p.m. when he was struck by a white SUV. The SUV slowed down, but then sped off west on Lancaster Avenue. Multiple video surveillance cameras caught images of the SUV until it turned left on Paoli Pike. Gitterman, who has addresses in both Radnor and Media, apparently ate dinner in a local restaurant just before the fatal accident, police said.

Gitterman was taken to Bryn Mawr Hospital and was pronounced dead a short time later, said Deputy Police Superintendent Chris Flanagan. When police came to the scene bystanders were “applying CPR,” said Flanagan.

The SUV “was seen speeding away from the accident,” headed west toward Chester County. Videotape shows that the damaged SUV headed west on Lancaster Avenue before turning left on Paoli Pike in Paoli.

Highway Patrol Officer Ken Piree said the Yukon was a 2016 or later model. The vehicle had damage to the front driver’s side headlight, the left fender and bumper, he said. Witnesses said the vehicle’s brake lights flashed before it left the scene.

“We don’t know the reason the person didn’t stop but clearly they knew they hit somebody,” he said. “They applied the brakes. We have a witness statement from a parking lot … For whatever reason the person didn’t stop. Had they stopped, this would have been just an accident,” he said.

Radnor Township and the District Attorney’s office were offering the $10,000 reward that leads to the arrest and conviction of the driver.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Stetson Middle School basketball players pose with representatives from the Chester County Hospital Foundation. From left are: Jake Kaszcz, Argel Pettit, Ashley Kopp (CCHF), Karen DiStefano (CCHF), Ella Harrison, Laney Costin, Marissa White.