Officials from the North Dakota Highway Patrol say they don't have any leads in a hit-and-run incident that killed a Bowman woman Friday.
Belinda Kay Messer, 42, of Bowman, was reportedly trying to cross Highway 85 at the intersection of Second Street Southwest and First Avenue Southwest when she was struck by an unknown vehicle traveling northbound, shortly before 9 p.m. Friday.
Messer was pronounced dead at the scene.
Messer was known as a kind woman, said Carolynne Jones, director of satellite services for ABLE, Inc. in Bowman and Hettinger, ABLE, Inc.. which was created to provide accredited services to people with developmental disabilities in southwest North Dakota, according to their Web site, which Messer was supported by and worked for.
"She could light up a room with her smile," Jones said.
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DeAnne Messer, Dickinson, Belinda's sister, agrees.
"She was really quiet, she loved to do latch hook kit rugs, she played cards with her nieces and nephews," DeAnne said. "She'd always ask how everyone was doing."
Sgt. Will Vance with the NDHP said there were no traffic lights where the incident occurred.
While there is a crosswalk at the intersection, it is uncertain whether or not Messer was in the crosswalk when she was struck, said Charles Headley, Bowman Police Department chief.
"The crosswalk would have been on the opposite corner where she was located," Headley said.
When there are no traffic lights, a driver must yield to a pedestrian, according to Bowman Police Department information.
There are pedestrian crossing signs at the intersection where the incident occurred, Headley said.
The vehicle may be a white Freightliner semi with a flatbed trailer.
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Officials are seeing if any businesses or offices had cameras pointing in the area of the incident.
"We're still waiting and hopefully we'll get some information on it," said Capt. Tony Huck, with the NDHP.
Belinda's Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m., Thursday, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Dickinson. See Page 3 for a full obituary.
"We encourage anyone that has anything, particularly the people who would have been in that area around that time of night, either south of Bowman or north of Bowman, by all means even if they don't think it's really anything," Headley said. "We're trying to run down as many leads as we can as far as who might have been responsible."
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Highway Patrol Office at 701-227-6565.
