Driver Charged In Westport Fatal Hit And Run Held Without Bail

FALL RIVER (CBS/AP) — A driver accused of running down a woman in Westport and apologizing to her before driving away earlier this month is being held without bail.

Gerardo Lugo, 54, of Fall River, pleaded not guilty Thursday to several charges including leaving the scene and driving with a suspended license at Fall River District Court. He was ordered held pending a dangerousness hearing on June 4.

In court documents, investigators said 30-year-old Stephanie Tripp was walking down Old Bedford Road around 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 7 after having and argument with her boyfriend when she was struck by a BMW. A witness said the driver stopped, got out of the car, said he was sorry and then drove off. Another driver tried to chase down the car but lost track of him. Tripp was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital in critical condition and died there on May 16.

Police found broken pieces of the BMW's fan at the crash scene. They later got an anonymous tip about a BMW parked in Fall River. They tracked that to Lugo after learning it was his brother's car, according to the documents. Lugo surrendered to police Wednesday.

When police searched Lugo's apartment, they allegedly found almost 200 grams of heroin.

His attorney said he could not comment on the specifics of the case but his client is "extremely upset" with Tripp's death. "There was somebody who was deceased because of an accident so clearly that makes it a severe case, a very serious case, in light of that, the drug charge that he's alleged to have been involved with is serious as well," said defense attorney Frank Camera.

Tripp's family says Lugo's arrest will not bring her back.

"It's been very rough on my family. We're devastated by the loss of Stephanie. She was very important to all of us," Tripp's aunt Laurie Sanford told reporters outside court Thursday.

She thanked friends, first responders, investigators, the community and an unknown Good Samaritan for helping them during their ordeal.

"We'd also like to thank someone we only know by name of Jasmine. She's a girl who was on the road that night, stopped and she stayed with Stephanie, after Stephanie was hit, she was there for a while with her. We're very grateful to her," Sanford said.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)