Woman found dead after alleged fatal hit-and-run in Mossman, near Cairns

Police have seized a “vehicle of interest” and identified the alleged driver of the vehicle they suspect was involved in a hit and run at Mossman last week, which killed a 37-year-old woman.

The driver and their vehicle, allegedly involved in a hit and run at Mossman, killing a 37-year-old, has been identified by police.

Acting chief superintendent Shane Holmes on Monday said a “vehicle of interest” had been seized and was part of the Forensic Crash Unit investigation into the incident that killed Mossman local Marckara Shuan, 37, on Thursday.

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said while an alleged driver had also been identified and was assisting officers with enquiries, no charges had been laid.

Police previously had revealed two sisters were involved in a fight outside a Mossman shop before one sibling was later allegedly run down and killed by a passing vehicle.

Despite the efforts of local people and emergency services who responded to the Junction Road incident, Ms Shuan was declared dead after being spotted by a motorist at 6.27pm on Thursday.

District Duty Officer Senior Sergeant Duane Amos said leading up to the death there was a related incident outside Mossman Butchering Company shop and a 34-year-old woman, understood to be Ms Shuan’s sister, was assisting police with inquiries.

The sister was not the driver of the car and she is not accused of any wrongdoing.

A 37-year-old woman has died after being hit by a car on Junction Road in Mossman on Thursday night. Photo: Catherine Duffy.

“But unfortunately for the community and the family members that are involved, we do have a 37-year-old female that is deceased as a result of what we believe is a hit and run situation,” he said.

Senior Sergeant Amos said initial investigations had provided a time frame of particular interest between 6.28pm and 6.30pm.

“So anyone who has information that may assist us with the inquiries we have a local number for our investigations unit and that would be 4098 2177,” he said.

“If anyone’s got any video footage or camera footage or anything like that, or may believe that they were travelling on that road at that point of time from Junction Road to Cooya Beach.

“The assistance from those people will actually allow us to be able to progress forward and give some answers to the family and the community.”

Before the woman was struck by a passing vehicle police stated there was an incident by the side on the road about 20m from the fatality which made a number of motorists pull over to intervene.

Senior Sergeant Amos said the alleged hit-and-run victim walked away from the family altercation before being struck by a car heading in the direction of Cooya Beach.

Police have put out a call for information relating to the alleged hit-and-run in Mossman. Catherine Duffy.

“They may or may not be aware that they were actually involved in this incident and it’s a dark area of road,” he said.

“There was heavy rain yesterday, lighting, all those considerations are factors that we look at from a forensic crash research perspective to determine how incidents actually occur.

“At this stage, we’re looking at three particular vehicles which may be able to assist us in that next part.”

Mossman resident Lance Moore said it was tragic to hear someone had been killed on the road.

A 37-year-old woman has died after being hit by a car on Junction Road in Mossman on Thursday night. It comes a four years after a man died on the same road in a hit-and-run. Photo: Catherine Duffy.

“There’s another fella (that was) run over just up the road here about four or five years ago,” Mr Moore said.

A Junction Road resident who did not wish to be named said she didn’t know about the incident until her daughter-in-law called her for a welfare check after seeing emergency service crews race through town.

“She said she saw a lot of lights down my street and I said I thought (one of the neighbours) had a heart attack, so I looked out the door and saw all the lights,” the resident said.
She said she saw emergency service vehicles on the street and suspected something was wrong.

“When I looked out the first time, you could see (ambulance crews) were putting IV lines in (the patient) and a few minutes later they were doing CPR,” she said.

Senior Sergeant Amos said the death was a devastating blow to the tight knit community of Mossman.

Yellow paint on the road mark the scene of the fatal hit and run incident in Mossman. Picture: Catherine Duffy.

“Particularly after the Mosman show only a week ago, when everyone’s getting together and enjoying themselves as families, this is a setback for them,” he said.

“But, no doubt the community will band together as they always do in the Far North.”

At this stage police are not prepared to release the makes and models of the three vehicles identified as being of particular interest.

Forensic Crash Unit officers are also appealing for the driver involved in the incident or anyone with further information to contact police.

Originally published as Woman found dead after alleged fatal hit-and-run in Mossman, near Cairns