‘Turn yourself in’: Driver in Winchester hit-and-run crash that injured salon owner still at large

The husband of a woman injured in a hit-and-run crash in Winchester last week is calling on the driver involved to turn themself into police.

“Do the right thing, turn yourself in,” Lou Auciello, the husband of Kathy Auciello, told WHDH on Tuesday. “I mean, it was raining out — maybe you didn’t see her or maybe, you know, you weren’t paying attention, but at least have the decency to pull over and see if they’re alive and call ‘911.’ That five to 10 minutes that she was lying there in the street could have been a matter of life and death. Fortunately, it wasn’t, but what if it was?”

Winchester police are asking for the public’s help in identifying the driver and vehicle that struck Kathy Auciello last Thursday, according to The Boston Globe.

The crash happened near Main and Vine streets around 8:45 p.m.

“Based on area business security video and evidence collected at the scene we are searching for a white 2016-2018 Lincoln MKX crossover SUV, which likely has front end damage,” police said.

Kathy Auciello was struck just outside the salon she owns, according to Boston 25 News.

“We don’t know if she was unconscious for five or 10 minutes, but she was out like a light,” Lou Auciello told the station.

He said his wife suffered serious injuries, including a concussion, a broken shoulder, and a large laceration on her head, which required plastic surgery.

She doesn’t remember the crash itself, Lou Auciello told WHDH. She can only remember leaving the salon, and then waking up in the hospital.

“I was scared, I was upset,” Lou Auciello told the outlet. “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?”

Lou Auciello and those close to the family are left wondering how the driver could leave the scene.

“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,” he said.

Denise Baker, a salon employee, said she “can’t say enough good things” about Kathy Auciello.

“How do you leave somebody, you know, just laying there, and especially her,” Baker told WHDH.

Those with information about the incident are asked to call police at 781-729-1214 and reference case #382659.

“We just want that person to come forward, you know there’s no need for them to suffer more than they already have,” Baker told Boston 25 News.