A Philadelphia man has been arrested and charged in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash that killed a grandmother in the city’s Overbrook section on Friday evening. Police said Michael Harper, 47, turned himself in at the 1st District headquarters on Monday, September 29, 2025.
He faces multiple charges, including homicide by vehicle – DUI, accident involving death, homicide by vehicle, reckless driving, and recklessly endangering another person. The deadly crash occurred on Friday, September 26, around 5:20 p.m, when Harper was driving a black Infiniti eastbound on Lancaster Avenue, according to NBCPhiladelphia.
At the intersection with 54th Street, he struck 77-year-old Dorothea Cathell, according to investigators. Family members told NBC10 that Cathell had just been shopping and was walking back from ShopRite with a cart full of Halloween decorations when she was hit. Witness Jim Burruss recalled the shocking scene.
“I was sitting in my bedroom on the second floor, and I heard something sound like a car crash. It was a bang,” he said. “I ran down there. She was just lying in the street and, I don’t know, I think it was a nurse or something who stopped to give her CPR until the ambulance came.”
Cathell was transported to Lankenau Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 5:52 p.m. Police said Harper fled immediately after the crash. He allegedly reversed his vehicle down Lancaster Avenue, then drove south, eventually dropping off a female passenger at a pizza shop near 56th Street and Girard Avenue before disappearing.
Authorities later released a surveillance image of the vehicle, which helped lead them to Harper’s car on the 2700 block of Snyder Avenue. An employee at an auto shop reported the car had been brought to the location, and police retrieved it. Harper surrendered to authorities later that evening.
Cathell’s family described her as a vibrant and loving presence in their lives. Her son, Ralph Cathell, said he has been struggling with overwhelming emotions since the loss of his mother. “I’ve been strong, hurt, distraught, and angry. Very angry, because my mother was a champion,” he said.
A makeshift memorial has since appeared at the crash site. “Beautiful woman. Yes, very beautiful. She was an angel. An angel of God. She didn’t have to die like that.” Her grandson, Semaj Suggs, echoed those sentiments. “She was loved by the community. Always happy. Always positive,” he said. “I don’t have any words. No words.” The investigation into the case remains ongoing as Harper awaits court proceedings.