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Reddit Sleuth IDs Mysterious Car Part, Leading To Accused Hit-And-Run Killer's Arrest
After cyclist Susan Rainwater was killed by a hit and run driver, users on the SubReddit "WhatIsThisThing" helped make an arrest.
Sometimes, it’s the sleuths that save the day.
Last week, Washington State Police took to Twitter to share information after a cyclist named Susan Rainwater was killed an unidentified black vehicle in Eatonville. Police asked the public for help by sharing a photo of a car part found at the scene. That same image was posted to Reddit’s "WhatIsThisThing", a SubReddit dedicated to identifying obscure objects and lifeforms.
A sleuth by the username of /u/JeffsNuts, identified the car part as a section of a "Chevy Silverado headlamp bezel.” He posted an image of the car part as part of his reply.
He said he worked as a state vehicle inspector and had experience inspecting car headlights.
“First thought was a late 1980s Dodge, and just by chance, one of the images of 1988 Ram truck brought up a link to a 1988 Chevy truck.....so I kind of got lucky there,” he wrote.
His keen eye helped lead to an arrest.
On Tuesday, police announced that they made an arrest today for the fatal bicyclist hit and run.
“Reddit users identify [sic] a photographed broken car part as a mid 1980s Chevy truck headlight assembly,” police stated. “Local anonymous tip confirms and led to the arrest of a driver of an 1986 Chevy K-10.”
Jeremy Simon, 37, of Roy, Washington was arraigned Wednesday for vehicular homicide, hit-and-run resulting in death and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, according to the News Tribune in Tacoma. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf. His bail has been set at $750,000. Simon allegedly told detectives that he fell asleep while driving, police say. Additionally, he allegedly told police that the reason he fled was because he wanted to avoid seeing a dead body. Police said they found heroin in his possession.
Rainwater, the victim, was a grandmother.
“This will probably get buried but my fiance was extremely close friends with Sue and she can't express in words how thankful she is and that the family and herself can get some type of closure,” one Reddit user wrote in the same thread where the car part was identified. “It's been rough few days for her so thanks.”
[Photo: Washington State Police]
