A woman was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on a Newton County highway Monday evening, authorities said.
The pedestrian was hit by a Ford vehicle around 11:45 a.m. on Ga. 36, just south of Laurie Lane in Covington, according to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff’s office Sgt. Jack Redlinger located the woman off the road just east of the northbound lane, an incident report states.
The victim, identified as 44-year-old Deanna Mattheus, was pronounced dead at the scene, the report added.
The sheriff’s office did not provide the model of the vehicle involved in the fatal incident, which occurred amid foggy conditions. Authorities said it had damage to its passenger side.
Mattheus was a mother of seven with two grandchildren, according to her obituary. Channel 2 Action News reported that she was walking home from a store when the car hit her. Her family has set up a memorial near the scene of the crash.
“She was a funny, laid-back girl,” her brother, Robert Grimes, told the news station. “She liked friends and family, hanging out with people. ... I am not going to stop until I find justice.”
No funeral information has been released.
Anyone with more information is asked to call 678-283-4010. Tipsters are eligible for a reward of up to $2,000 for an arrest and conviction.
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