Family seeks answers as CMPD continues investigation of a deadly hit-and-run

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — For Sherika Sheppard, words are hard to find.

“I can’t process it, my heart stopped, and it was just like I couldn’t breathe,” she told WCNC Charlotte.

She’s now forced to accept a reality where her mom, Wanda Sheppard, would no longer be able to walk by her side.

“It hurts. I wish I could have said more to her before she had left me,” Sheppard said.

This comes after CMPD responded to a hit-and-run near Caldwell Street, later finding Wanda unresponsive and lying on the roadway.

“Actually seeing her face — that is what did it for me, that image it burns me,” Sheppard said. “It’s like the only thing I can do is cry.”

Detectives released a photo of an SUV wanted in connection with the deadly hit-and-run just outside Uptown earlier this month. 

The crash happened around 2 a.m. along North Caldwell Street near Belmont Avenue and Interstate 277 on Dec. 9, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said. When officers arrived on the scene, they found Wanda suffering from life-threatening injuries. She was taken to the hospital where she later died. 

Witnesses told detectives that Wanda was hit by a dark-colored vehicle that drove away from the area toward Uptown. On Tuesday, CMPD shared a photo of a black SUV that detectives say is connected to the crash. Detectives believe the suspect vehicle is a 2011-2017 Nissan Juke. The vehicle may have damage to the front right fender and windshield area. 

Sherika Sheppard said as her family prepares to bury her mom, they’re hoping the guilt buried deep down inside whoever’s responsible continues to spread. She said the act of honesty is the jumpstart they need towards healing.

“They just kept going like she was nothing, but she was somebody she was somebody to me, my mother,” she said. “Please turn yourself in.”

Anyone with information about this crash or the vehicle in question is asked to call Charlotte Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. All calls to Crime Stoppers are anonymous and information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a cash reward. 

Contact Tradesha Woodard at twoodard1@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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WCNC Charlotte wants to hear about your loved one

If your loved one was impacted by this incident, WCNC Charlotte hopes to make this process less painful with our More Than A Number initiative. With your help, we want to share who your loved one was with our viewers in North Carolina and South Carolina. When you’re ready, fill out the form below or send us photos, memories and other details about them to desk@wcnc.com.