Homeless woman struck in roadway

September 15, 2010

A homeless woman was struck by a car early Wednesday morning.

According to Hickory Police Department, Josephine Colwell, 35, was lying on First Street SW near 10th Avenue in Hickory about 5 a.m. Witnesses said the homeless woman was passed out on the street before she was struck by a 1997 GMC Suburban driven by Johnny Chapman Jr., 49, of Hickory.

Police said Chapman didn’t have enough time to stop after seeing Colwell in the road. Colwell was transported to Frye Regional Medical Center with serious injuries, and then she was taken to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. She was not listed as a patient at Baptist Medical Center.

According to HPD, Colwell was intoxicated at the time of the incident, but Chapman was not impaired. No charges were filed against Chapman at this time, and police continue to investigate the incident.