DECATUR, Ga. -- DeKalb County police are hoping someone might be able to help with what are often some of the hardest cases to solve - deadly hit-and-runs.
11Alive's Catie Beck introduces us to a family whose lives were changed in an instant one night.
In one fast and often accidental moment, a life is lost and the evidence vanishes from the scene.
Detectives say it's difficult to see the sudden grief of the victim's family arrive - and for many of them it never leaves.
Life is lonely and the future uncertain for Azmeena Panjwani.
"I called one, twice, it was seven, 10 times maybe I called him but there was no response," she said.
Panic and heartbreak return as she describes that night in May when her husband didn't return home after evening prayers. Salim had been a pharmacist in India starting what he hoped would be a good life for his family in the United States.
Police came late that night to tell her Salim wouldn't' be coming home - not ever.
"I don't know how it happened," Azmeena said through tears.
Witnesses saw some of how it happened. They saw Salim crossing Mountain Industrial Boulevard after taking the bus - his normal route home. He was waiting in the center lane to cross when an impatient driver swerved into that lane to pass a car and hit him before speeding off.
"These people know that they've hit somebody and they made the conscious effort, decision to leave the scene," Detective Eric Gakstatter said.
And that move has left the detective with little evidence to solve the case - or cases. DeKalb County has seen seven fatal hit-and-run cases in the past 11 months - a steep rise from the one or two a year they typically see.
"This year we have seven where we really don't have much to go on - they're currently open cases and that's really disturbing and alarming," Gakstatter said.
Typically, only fragments - pieces - of an incomplete puzzle remain behind. An accident has happened; a life has been lost, but the who, the how and the why, much like the driver, are out of sight.
"Without any substantial auto parts or debris at the scene to link a vehicle to the accident is very hard," Det. Gakstatter said.
Fortunately, police dd recover some evidence from Salim's accident. They know the parts they recovered came from a gold Chevrolet Trailblazer made between 2002 and 2005. But other cases among the seven that were unsolved left behind nothing at all.
Orlando McCullough was changing his tire on the side of I-20 when he was hit. While he was 10 feet off the roadway, the impact of the passing vehicle threw him more than 30 feet.
"This gentleman was just struck and just left there and the vehicle just continued down I-20," Gakstatter said.
And because of that, the road ahead for investigators solving the case is doubtful.
"There's families out there grieving for their loved ones and they'd like some closure," he said.
Azmeena would.
"If anyone knows about the person, please come forward and please help me," she said, pleading for answers.
Crime Stoppers is offering $2,000 for any information in these cases. An additional $3,000 is being offered from a local law firm for information connected to Salim Panjwani's case.
DeKalb Police urge people to avoid driving with distractions and aggressive driving. They're also urging anyone with information to please call in. Because to solve these cases, they'll need that help.
