A 29-year-old woman was killed by a hit-and-run driver after exiting a rideshare in Eastwick
Talyia Bernice Nesmith, 29, of Philadelphia, was struck and killed by someone in a black Dodge Charger, which hit another parked vehicle before fleeing.
A woman was killed by a hit-and-run driver in the Eastwick section early Monday morning just seconds after having exited a rideshare vehicle.
Talyia Bernice Nesmith, 29, of Philadelphia, was exiting a rideshare vehicle just before 3:30 a.m. on the 7200 block of Elmwood Avenue, police said, when someone driving a black Dodge Charger at high speed struck her. Nesmith had just exited a rideshare vehicle and was attempting to cross Elmwood Avenue, police said.
Nesmith was struck with so much force that she was thrown into the rear of a nearby unoccupied parked car. After striking Nesmith, the driver of the Dodge Charger continued east, striking another parked car before fleeing without stopping, according to police.
Police responded to the scene at 3:30 a.m. for reports of a multi-vehicle crash involving a pedestrian. Philadelphia Fire Department medics took Nesmith to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where she was declared dead at 4:05 a.m.
The driver of the black Dodge Charger has not been identified. Police initially believed the car to be a Dodge SRT, but later said they were looking for a black 2020-2023 Dodge Charger Hellcat or Scat Pack Wide Body — two high-performance versions of the standard Charger model. The vehicle may have damage to the passenger side and possible damage to the windshield. It was last seen traveling east on Elmwood Avenue.
The number of hit-and-run crashes, like the one that killed Nesmith, has fallen in Eastwick in recent years, according to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation data. There were nine hit-and-runs in 2025, down from 15 in 2023. But since 2019, nearly 100 hit-and-run crashes occurred in the neighborhood, resulting in 84 people injured and four deaths.
The police Crash Investigation Division is investigating the case. Anyone with information can submit an anonymous tip by calling the police department’s tip line at 215-686-TIPS (8477). Tips can also be submitted electronically at phillypolice.com/tips.
