Charges Filed Against Brookline Woman After Hit-And-Run Accident

A Brookline woman is facing charges from two police departments after police said she was thrown out of a local grocery store, then caused a hit-and-run accident in Dormont.

Police said Melanie Hesser, 50, was driving east on Pioneer Avenue at 8:15 p.m. on Aug. 4 when she drove over the curb onto the sidewalk and struck a pedestrian.

The victim was hit in the arm with the mirror of the vehicle, but was not seriously hurt. Paramedics treated him at the scene.

Pittsburgh police located a vehicle matching the description the witness provided—a red Mitsubishi—at the rear of a home on Pioneer Avenue. The vehicle had a broken mirror.

According to the report, Pittsburgh police had responded to Kuhn’s Market on Banksville Road earlier in the evening when an employee reported that Hesser had been thrown out of the store for causing a disturbance.

Police said Hesser left the scene in a red Mitsubishi, but left her purse, which contained her license and an empty bottle of vanilla extract, in a grocery cart.

Police spoke with Hesser at her home, and reported that she appeared to be intoxicated. The hit-and-run victim identified Hesser as the driver of the red Mitsubishi.

Pittsburgh police charged Hesser with driving under the influence. Dormont police charged Hesser with the following: accidents involving personal injury; accidents involving personal injury while not properly licensed; reckless driving; driving with a suspended or revoked license; carless driving; and other traffic offenses.