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2WTK: Can Auto Body Shops Help In Hit And Run Investigations?

People who work at shops to need to keep up with current events if they want to help investigators.  2WTK's Erica Stapleton talked with several local body shops in Greensboro who say they don't get alerts from law enforcement about any cars or trucks that could be involved in investigations

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- A 12-year-old is killed in a hit and run crash in Greensboro and 24 hours later, investigators are still looking for the driver.

Troopers say Dorien Pearsall was walking down Ward Road last night when a BMW hit him, then took off. The little boy later died.

Investigators say they're looking for a dark blue 2003-2005 BMW, 7 Series. They believe the car has front damage on the passenger side and to the passenger window. With damage like that, you might think auto-body shops would be put on notice. But as it turns out, people who work at shops to need to keep up with current events if they want to help investigators.

2WTK's Erica Stapleton talked with several local body shops in Greensboro who say they don't get alerts from law enforcement about any cars or trucks that could be involved in investigations.

Lee Goodman is the manager at Aycock Frame and Body. He says last year, they were working on a car when deputies came by and said it was involved in a hit and run. Goodman says he had no idea the car was involved in a crime, until the deputies showed up.

"At that time we just stopped working on the vehicle," Goodman explains. "The Sheriff's impounded the car."

Most of the time, body shops are not alerted about damaged cars that officers are looking for.

2WTK did some digging and only found two police departments in Colorado that have what's called an "auto body alert system." That means police give shops details about cars involved in investigations and shops can give police tips if any suspcious vehicles come in.

There's nothing like that in the Triad, but Goodman says he would be very interested.

"I think it would be a good idea. That way people won't be thinking I can just run away from an accident and just run to another shop in another town to get it fixed."

Goodman's staff was already on alert for the BMW that hit and killed the 12-year-old Thursday night. He says they knew about it, because they saw the story on the news.

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