Pregnant mom crossing street killed in hit-and-run: Cops
Share this @internewscast.com

Left inset: Rosalinda Vaca (Waukegan Police Department). Right inset: Michelle Heidbrick (GoFundMe). Background: The intersection of Grand Avenue and Jackson Street in Waukegan, Ill., where Rosalinda Vaca allegedly killed Michelle Heidbrick in a hit-and-run crash on Sunday night, Sept. 21, 2025 (WGN/YouTube).

A pregnant Illinois mother crossing the street with her fiancé was struck and killed by a woman in a Land Rover, who claimed to police she was unaware of what she had hit, according to local investigators.

It wasn”t until after the woman allegedly saw reports about the victim’s death that she realized it was a person, cops say.

“All I heard was a smack,” recounted Charlie Walkanoff, fiance of victim Michelle Heidbrick, in an emotional interview with local CW affiliate WGN.

“Next thing I knew, she’s rolling down the street,” Walkanoff said, crying. “They hit my baby so hard. I was trying to yell to get people to call 911, and someone stopped, and they did.”

Rosalinda Vaca, 49, is charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving death, a felony, following the Sunday night hit-and-run incident in Waukegan, according to online court records. Her black 2016 Land Rover SUV was seized by police and is currently being examined as part of the ongoing investigation, as reported by the Lake and McHenry County Scanner. Heidbrick’s unborn baby was also killed.

Police reportedly questioned Vaca about the incident, and she allegedly admitted to knowing she struck something on Sunday night in the area of Grand Avenue and Jackson Street, but claimed she was unaware of what it was.

It wasn’t until after Vaca caught wind of Heidbrick’s death in the same area that she realized what happened, according to police.

“She just turned five months on Sept. 19,” Walkanoff told WGN about the couple’s unborn child.

“My baby didn’t deserve to die that way,” he said.

Vaca reportedly turned herself in to Waukegan police on Tuesday after hearing the news. A witness allegedly identified her and the Land Rover she was driving on Sunday night when she collided with Heidbrick as she was crossing the southbound roadway of Grand Avenue, according to WGN. The witness confirmed that Vaca allegedly did not stop and continued driving.

Heidbrick leaves behind an 18-year-old son who reportedly just started college. Her sister said in a GoFundMe description that Heidbrick was “pronounced dead at the scene from the injuries she sustained.”

Heidbrick’s family told WGN that they are “absolutely heartbroken” by what happened and are awaiting the results of the investigation to see if additional charges will be filed.

Vaca was behind bars Wednesday awaiting her detention hearing.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Father Allegedly Utilizes 6-Year-Old in Shoplifting Incident, Abandons Child to Escape: Police Report

Inset: Joshua R. Spirit (Alachua County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The Ace Hardware…

Tragic Incident: Employee Fatally Attacks Co-Worker with Sledgehammer at Manufacturing Plant

In a shocking incident that has captured the attention of Minnesota, a…

Sydney Train Employee Suspended Following Alleged Neo-Nazi Rally Involvement

Transport for NSW has placed one of its frontline workers on leave…

Arkansas Resident Faces Murder Charges Following City Park Shooting Incident

An Arkansas man, aged 25, faces charges of murder following the fatal…

Repeated 911 Caller Requests Rides, Ends Up in Scuffle with Deputy

Background: The McDonald”s location in Gainesville, Fla., where a sheriff’s deputy found…

Justice Served: Day Care Worker Sentenced After Over 100 Child Abuse Incidents

Catherine Guziejka at her sentencing hearing (KLTV). A Texas daycare employee, aged…

Sneaky Reptile Smuggler Caught Hiding Lizards in Footwear, Faces Sentencing

A Chinese citizen has been sentenced in Sydney after attempting to smuggle…

Teen Fatally Attacked After Reporting Man for Sexual Assault Allegations

Inset, left to right: Lenard White (Hernando County Sheriff’s Office), Isabella Scavelli…

Justice Served: Father Charged in Skelton Brothers Case After 15-Year Mystery

In a chilling turn of events, a Michigan father has been formally…

Unveiling the Controversy: Joshua Kindred’s Law License Revocation Following Judgeship Resignation

Left inset: Joshua Kindred in a court photo (9th Circuit Annual Report).…

Unintentional $1200 Offense: The Surprising Crime Australians Are Unknowingly Committing

Many Australians may unknowingly be committing a crime that could lead to…

Breaking: Woman Arrested for Murder in Connection to Mysterious Death of Elderly Woman Found in Bed

A woman is facing charges for the murder of an 84-year-old grandmother…