Hit and Run Strikes Parked Ford Explorer, Police Seek Leads

A hit and run collision involving a parked vehicle on South Front Street was reported to Sterling police on December 5. A 2015 Ford Explorer registered to Stephanie Wright of Sterling was parked in front of 232 S. Front St. S. when an unknown vehicle struck the left side of the Ford sometime between 8 15 a.m. and 12 15 p.m. The striking vehicle fled the scene and the Ford remained parked on the street. No injuries were reported and the Explorer sustained only slight damage. Alcohol and drugs were suspected as contributing factors in the crash, according to police logs.

Sterling Police Department and Logan County Sheriff deputies also recorded multiple theft reports that day. Those reports included a stolen laptop and other items that had been reported earlier in the day. Deputies were dispatched to County Road 6 near Merino for suspicious activity, underscoring a busy day for local law enforcement.

For Logan County residents the hit and run is more than a property crime. The presence of alcohol and drugs in a crash investigation raises public health concerns about impaired driving and substance misuse in the community. Impaired driving increases the risk of injury and death and places additional strain on emergency responders and medical services. In rural areas like parts of Logan County, barriers to substance use treatment and limited local resources can worsen risks and delay care.

The pattern of property thefts and suspicious incidents also affects community trust and perceptions of safety. Small towns rely on predictability and neighbors looking out for one another. Repeated property crimes can erode that social fabric and create longer term economic and emotional costs for victims.

Policymakers and community leaders can respond by strengthening impaired driving enforcement, expanding access to substance use treatment and recovery services, and supporting local law enforcement with resources for investigations and prevention programs. Residents with information about the hit and run, the thefts, or the reported suspicious activity are asked to contact the Sterling Police Department or the Logan County Sheriff s Office. Community cooperation remains vital to solving these cases and to keeping Logan County streets and neighborhoods safe.