Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson recently visited Southwest Philadelphia to seek leads regarding the death of 29-year-old Talyia Nesmith. Nesmith was killed in a hit-and-run incident early Monday morning on Elmwood Avenue.
The abandoned black Dodge Hellcat in Upper Darby
The investigation into the death of Talyia Nesmith centers on a high-performance veehicle that fled the scene of the crime. According to Philadelphia Police, Nesmith had just exited a Lyft ride and was crossing the 7200 block of Elmwood Avenue around 3:30 a.m. on Monday when she was struck by a speeding car. The force of the collision was so severe that it threw her body onto a nearby parked vehicle.
On Tuesday,authorities discovered the suspect vehicle—a black Dodge Hellcat featuring a shattered back window—abandoned in Upper Darby, located in Delaware County. While the vehicle has been recovered, the Philadelphia Police have not yet identified the driver who was behind the wheel during the fatal encounter.
Kenyatta Johnson's door-to-door push on Elmwood Avenue
Council President Kenyatta Johnson spent Tuesday walking through the Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood to urge residents to provide information. As reported in the source, Johnson and his team handed out resource packets and spoke directly with community members, emphasizing that no piece of information is too small to assist the investigation.
The family of Talyia Nesmith is organizing a memorial balloon release at the site of the accident, with attendees encouraged to wear purpe, which was Nesmith's favorite color. johnson has urged the publlic to contact either his office or the Submit a Tip Hotline at 267-686-TIPS (8477) to help bring closure to the grieving family.
Philadelphia's struggle with 90-mph reckless driving
This tragedy has reignited a volatile conversation regarding pedestrian safety and the prevalence of street racing within Philadelphia. During his outreach, Kenyatta Johnson explicitly condemned the behavior of reckless motorists, stating that speeding down residential streets at 90 miles per hour is "totally unacceptable."
The incident is part of a broader trend of increasing hit-and-run cases across the city, prompting Mayor Cherelle Parker to vow collaboration with the city council to improve road safety. In response to the dangers on Elmwood Avenue,city officials are now considering the implementation of traffic calming infrastructure and increased police patrols to deter high-speed driving in residential zones.
Whether the Hellcat was stolen or linked to other crimes
Despite the recovery of the vehicle in Delaware County, several critical questions remain unanswered by the Philadelphia Police. Investigators believe the black Dodge Hellcat may have been stolen, but they have not confirmed if the driver is connected to a wider series of crimes or if the vehicle was used in other illicit activities prior to the crash.
Furthermore, the police have not released any specific descriptions or names of potential suspects, relying instead on the review of surveillance footage and dashcam leads. It remains unclear if the driver is a local resident or someone who traveled into Southwest Philadelphia specifically for street racing.
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