GIRARD Woman, 76, charged in fatal hit-skip

The victim was walking in the middle of the street when she was struck.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
GIRARD -- A 76-year-old city woman is charged with fatally injuring a pedestrian July 6 and then fleeing before police arrived.
Ethel Macchio, of South Davis Street, appeared Monday before municipal Magistrate Mark Finamore.
Macchio was freed on a $10,000 personal recognizance bond on charges of vehicular manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident, both misdemeanors. No pretrial date was set.
Macchio is charged with running into pedestrian Michelle R. Touart, 37, of Dearborn Street, who was walking in the middle of South State Street (U.S. Route 422).
Touart died later at St. Elizabeth Health Center.
Touart's home is less than two blocks from where Macchio resides.
Police said Touart was trying to visit friends in Warren when struck about 12:30 a.m. south of Trumbull Avenue.
What police chief said
Police Chief Anthony Ross said Monday that Macchio was on her way to work at Kuzman's Bar on South State, which she cleans after it closes.
Ross said Macchio went to a South State drive-through and purchased three packs of cigarettes. A store camera photographed her pulling out in her car and turning north on South State.
The chief said Macchio did not purchase any alcohol.
Meanwhile, Touart, who the chief said had apparently been drinking, was walking north in the middle of South State when struck by Macchio's 1981 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Ross said.
After Touart was struck, Macchio and two other motorists got out of their vehicles, Ross said. Macchio got back into her car and left before police arrived, he said.
The chief said Capt. Frank Bigowsky and Detective John Norman were able to trace Macchio's car from the description given by witnesses.
Macchio gave police a statement, but Ross would not say if she realized she had struck Touart.
Damage to the left side of Macchio's car is consistent with the injuries Touart sustained, the chief added.
Evidence was sent to the state's Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation for analysis.
yovich@vindy.com