On May 5, 2012 at approximately 6:00 pm, officers were dispatched to the 1600 Block of W I-40 on a motor vehicle crash. Upon their arrival they found a 1998 Chevy Suburban had been struck and rolled down the overpass embankment at West I-40 and Bowie. The driver of the Suburban, Mearlene Hooker Scott, WF, 78 was transported to a local hospital where she died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. She had been west bound on W I-40 when she was hit by a 2008 Pontiac G6 that was also westbound. This caused her to lose control of her car and resulted in it rolling down the embankment. The driver of the Pontiac fled the scene. Officers located the suspect and his car in the area of W 16th and Lamar. Witnesses at the scene stated the Pontiac had been racing another vehicle on I-40 at the time of the crash. Edwin Ortiz, WM, 18 was arrested and booked into the Potter County Jail for Failure to Stop and Render Aid and Racing/ Causes Death. Justice of the Peace Jackson has ordered an autopsy. The case is under investigation by the Traffic Investigation Unit of the Amarillo Police Dept.
