Two killed in hit-skip crashes hours apart

Two people died in separate hit-and-run crashes in Columbus on Saturday.

The first happened early Saturday on the East Side. Authorities are looking for the driver of a Ford Taurus who hit and killed a pedestrian, Tarinesha Caldwell, 28, who was crossing South James Road south of Dale Avenue. At 4:15 a.m., she was hit by a 2005 silver Taurus. Caldwell was taken to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center, where she died just before 6 a.m. Public records list Caldwell's address in Grove City.

A witness followed the Taurus, which had a temporary license tag. Police said the driver went north out of the area, passed Broad Street and turned onto Maryland Avenue.

The driver has not been identified or arrested.

Later Saturday, another hit-skip driver claimed a life, this time on the South Side. Soungoutoumba Macalou, 39, was operating a motorcycle northbound on Lockbourne Road. He entered the intersection at Watkins Road just after 1 p.m and was struck by a vehicle traveling south on Lockbourne Road as it turned left to go east on Watkins Road. After striking the motorcycle, the tan- or beige-colored vehicle continued east on Watkins Road, according to a witness.

Macalou died at Grant Medical Center at 2:05 p.m.

Anyone with information on either accident is asked to call the Columbus Police Accident Investigation Unit at 614-645-4767.