I-Team investigates: Majority of hit-skips in the Miami Valley are unsolved

In the last three years, 14 people in Montgomery County have been killed after being hit by a car and the driver drove away, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Twelve of those cases remain unsolved.

Hilary Williams had just wished his family a Merry Christmas on Dec. 25.

Shortly after leaving his cousins’ home, it happened.

"Hilary done got hit," said Joyce Cantrell, Williams' cousin. "He up under the truck."

The driver who hit Williams left him to die.

"I could reach his hand, and when I got down there and grabbed it, I said ‘Hilary, Hilary.’" Cantrell remembers. "I said, ‘He cold y'all. He ain’t moving; he ain't moaning; he ain't doing nothing."

Family of Hit-And-Run Victim | Extended Interview The family of Hilary Williams, killed in a hit-and-run crash on Christmas, speak out about his death.

Paramedics took Williams to Miami Valley Hospital, where he suffered from multiple broken bones and was in a coma.

But his family thought he would pull through.

"When I talked to him, he would squeeze my hand," Cantrell said. "When I would play music, he would wiggle those feet."

But on Feb. 4, Williams died.

Numbers uncovered by the WHIO I-Team show stories, like how Hilary Williams was killed, have led to more than 10 other dead, unsolved hit-and-runs in Montgomery County over recent years.

That does not include the case of Dyimond Wright, who was just 17 when she was killed while walking with a friend down North Main Street in Harrison Twp. in January.

An information request to the OSHP asked for the number of unsolved hit and runs where someone in Montgomery County was hurt during the last three years.

Their response showed this happened 128 times.

In 14 of those cases, where someone was actually killed, OSHP said 12 of those deadly crashes remain unsolved.

"It's one of the harder things to solve," said Major Matt Haines with the Montgomery County Sheriff's office said.

Sometimes his investigators are able to identify tire markings, paint color and if they are lucky, the car's make and model, Haines said.

But in almost every case, it's finding the suspect that's nearly impossible.

"It's literally one in thousands of cars that are passing and somebody just makes the horrible decision to not stop after the crash," Haines said.

Dayton Police Department is handling Williams' case.

Crash investigators have no new information and the investigation is ongoing, said a police spokesperson.

Williams' family said part of the information Dayton investigators came from them, but they have yet to receive any answers.

If you know anything about Williams’ death, please contact Dayton police at 937-333-1104 or Miami Valley Crime Stoppers at 937-222-STOP.

If you know anything about Wright’s death, call 937-225-HELP (4357) or Sgt. Rick Moebius at 937-225-4217.