Reward Offered in Search for Driver

Police Have Few Leads in Hit-and-Run Crash That Killed Girl

D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier made a public appeal yesterday for help in finding the hit-and-run driver who fatally struck a 6-year-old girl in Northeast Washington.

They went to Sixth Street and Orleans Place NE, where Crysta Spencer was hit Monday, and offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Police have few leads.

Lanier directed some of her remarks toward the driver of the sport-utility vehicle that hit the girl. "It's not too late to turn yourself in. It'll be easier if you do it now," she said. "If you don't, we will find you."

Crysta darted onto Sixth Street about 4:30 p.m. Monday, and a green SUV, possibly with Maryland tags, hit her and sped away, officers said. Investigators think the SUV might have front-end damage.

Just before the accident, Crysta's mother, Christina Spencer, was on her front porch, screaming for her daughter to stop. Crysta was not in the crosswalk.

The girl's grandmother, Easter Spencer, was at the news conference yesterday and spoke for family members, who stood together holding hands. "We're asking any and everybody who has any information to come forward," she said. "I know there's somebody out there who knows something."

The D.C. Department of Transportation took action this week after neighbors said the street is unsafe. Workers installed two stop signs, speed humps and other signs indicating a crosswalk.

Fenty (D) said the city has a responsibility to make sure roads are safe. Ten pedestrians have been killed this year in District traffic accidents, including a 6-year-old boy who was hit in February near his home in Northeast.

Trying to help Fenty's effort, community activist Adam Clampitt posted information about the hit-and-run on his blog at http://www.districtmatters.com and asked people to post comments about unsafe intersections in their neighborhoods. He plans to take his list to the mayor's office and transportation officials.

"It's impossible for government to do everything themselves," Clampitt said. "If we can give them areas that have been overlooked, maybe they'll send somebody to fix them. We have to come together to make sure these tragedies don't happen again."

Crysta's funeral is 10 a.m. Saturday at Mount Olive Baptist Church, 1140 Sixth St. NE.