Police search for ‘person of interest’ in hit-and-run that killed young Pierce County girl

MIDLAND, Wash. — Deputies in Pierce County have just released new pictures of a man they are calling a “person-of-interest” in a deadly hit and run over the weekend.

That incident involved two 12-year-old girls; one was killed instantly and the other was put in the hospital.

Deputies say this man stopped at a convenience store off Canyon Road in a stolen truck and took off shortly after. If you recognize that man, you’re asked to give police a call.

This new information coming as friends, family and strangers are gathering right now for a vigil, honoring the life of 12-year-old Immaculee Goldade and offer support to the family of Kathleen Olson who survived the terrible crash.

Now both their families are pleading with the driver and anyone who knows them to come forward.

This horrific accident has touched so many people. This memorial here near where Immaculee died is evidence of that. Two best friends, in the middle of a sleepover, their lives forever changed by a driver who left them to die.

Amber Goldade stood in the embrace of her 14-year-old daughter, able at last to speak publicly about the very personal pain of suddenly losing one of her eight children.

“Devastated,” she said of herself. “My baby is dead, taken from me in an instant, and she needs peace and we need peace.”

Twelve-year-old Immaculee Goldade was playing with, Kathleen Olson, also 12, the two of them from large, Catholic families, devoted friends almost from birth. They were enjoying a long delayed sleepover Saturday morning, walking along 104th Street East, not far from Immaculee’s Midland home.

“Yeah,” sighed Rachel Olson, Kathleen’s mother.

“They were holding hands, walking down the road,” she said. “And the last thing Kathleen remembers her saying ‘we’re almost home.’ And then she didn’t know anything about the truck. She didn’t know it was coming.

“She doesn’t remember being struck. No, no. They were just walking along and the next thing she knows she’s seeing these faces in the ambulance.”

Now Pierce County Sheriff’s detectives think this is the man who was driving the truck, a vehicle stolen form a local business.

Immaculee’s traumatized mother has this message for him.

“Just for him to turn himself in,” said Amber Goldade. “Or, if somebody knows something to turn him in.”

Kathleen Olson was badly hurt, but she is back. Her mother says she should make a full recovery.

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