Jan 14, 2006 6:17 pm US/Eastern
Hundreds Honor Memory Of Sister Mercedes Perreca
by Dick Standish
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
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Sister Paul Mercedes Perreca (file)
CBS 3
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Description of hit-run vehicle.
CBS 3
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Police searching for a vehicle that "looks" like this one.
CBS 3
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Police ask for help from the public tracking down a vehicle in the hit-run death of Sister Merceded Perreca.
CBS 3
Hundreds of people attended a viewing for a Philadelphia nun who was a victim of a hit and run earlier in the week while she was walking to church.
The viewing was held at Immaculata University and the Sister was described as a angel was always there for everyone. "Anything she could do to make her family and friends happy she did," said former student, Gina Dilullo, adding, "It is sad that this happened, she did not deserve it."
"She gave her life to the kids, it was an awful way she was taken from us," said Charles O'Connor
Sister Paul Mercedes Perreca was hit on Cottman Avenue and dragged 20 feet as she attempted to cross the street at 6:30 a.m. Monday while on her way to mass at St. Matthew's Church.
Police said they were looking for a maroon Ford F-150 with a silver running board, an eight-foot bed, and Pennsylvania license plates. It was likely produced between 1987 and 1989.
Investigators say it sustained heavy front-end damage including a broken headlight when turning left off of Hawthorne Street. Witnesses said the truck stopped 100 feet from the intersection, but headed west towards the Roosevelt Boulevard as the traffic light turned green.
Philadelphia Police thought there may have been a major break in the search for a truck that struck and killed a beloved nun earlier this week. However, they were back at square one Friday morning.
Police were called to the 4000 Block of Decatur Street in the Holmesburg section of the city Thursday evening after receiving a tip call. A truck, fitting the description of the vehicle involved in the hit-run death of Sister Paul Mercedes Perreca, was removed from the scene and taken in for further investigation.
After speaking with the owner of the truck, who police say was cooperative, it was determined the vehicle in question was not involved in the deadly hit-run.
"The vehicle pulled over, they put their flashers on and within a matter of seconds, proceeded down to the next light," said Captain Michael Mercy of the Philadelphia Police Department.
The 61-year-old victim was transported to Frankford-Torresdale Hospital with head injuries and was pronounced dead just before 1 p.m. that day.
She was given a partial sabbatical at her parish St. Martin of Tours so that she could care for her ailing parents who reside just blocks from the accident scene.
"She's a wonderful sister. She was taking care of her parents and she was in and out all the time – a great person, a wonderful person," said Msgr. Charles McGroarty of St. Matthew's Church.
In December, Sister Paul Mercedes Perreca had witnessed a fatal accident at the intersection of Guilford and Battersby in which a teenage driver killed his friend's father. In one of her final acts of kindness, she sent a letter consoling the young driver. It arrived at his home on the day she died.
Cardinal Justin Rigali will celebrate a memorial mass at 7 p.m. next Wednesday at St. Martin's. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held there at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
The reward for information leading to an arrest in this case now stands at $10,000.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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