Winchester police searching for SUV in hit-and-run crash that left business owner seriously injured
Police are turning to the public for help tracking down an SUV wanted in connection with a hit-and-run crash in Winchester last week that left a local business owner and mother of two seriously hurt, officials said.
Friends, family, and coworkers of Kathy Auciello still can’t believe a driver would hit her and take off. Auciello is a mom of twin girls and the owner of Katana Salon in downtown Winchester.
“I don’t think any of us can wrap our heads around it still,” said Denise Baker, who works at Katana Salon and Spa.
Auciello’s family says she had just left work last Thursday night, and while she was crossing Main Street to her car, she was struck.
“I’m still in shock like when I found out about it, I was like literally in tears I can’t say enough about her as a person, as an owner, just being in Winchester she knows everybody and she just has a heart of gold,” said Baker.
Police are now looking for the driver of a white Lincoln SUV which may have front-end damage after hitting Auciello on December 22.
“We don’t know if she was unconscious for five or ten minutes, but she was out like a light,” said Lou Auciello, the victim’s husband.
Auciello’s husband says she suffered serious injuries from a concussion to a broken shoulder and a huge laceration to her head, which required plastic surgery.
“I was scared, I was upset,” said Lou Auciello. “Unfortunately my daughter who’s back home from school on college break was working at the salon and she noticed like 10 minutes went by and she’s like where is she?”
One of Auciello’s daughters saw her going into an ambulance that night just a couple of days before Christmas.
“Just the fact that somebody would leave a person just lying there in the rain, it was pouring rain, not knowing the extent of damage, were they dead, alive, conscious, unconscious, just no one called 911, just leaving with no regard for life just leaving them lying there,” said Lou Auciello.
If you have any information that can help police find the driver responsible for this hit and run call Winchester police.
“We just want that person to come forward, you know there’s no need for them to suffer more than they already have,” said Baker.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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