LYNN, Mass. — The husband of a 55-year-old woman hit by a car and left to die says he has no words for the driver who kept going on his commute to work.
Emira Barucija, 55, of Lynn, was struck in a crosswalk on busy Western Avenue at Cooper Street around 6 a.m. Wednesday.
Investigators used city surveillance cameras to identify the driver and vehicle.
Police located the damaged car in a parking garage in Boston’s Longwood Medical area about six hours after the deadly impact.
Detectives also caught up with the driver there where he works.
“I don’t have any message for him,” said her husband Redzo Barucija.
Redzo Barucija said his wife was walking to a bus stop just a few blocks from their condo complex to get to her job as a cleaner at Salem Hospital.
It’s a walk she took every day, and he recalled her often sharing stories about reckless drivers.
“[She said] a lot of time, I just run away from them,” he said. “I don’t expect that this will happen to me.”
The heartbroken husband said no amount of justice will bring back his wife of 15 years.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/PV5WTF67TJDERDG2QQ6YBLK53U.jpg)
Both traveled to the United States from war-torn Bosnia at different times.
He said it’s tough to imagine a future without her.
“I was very connected to her,” he said. “Everything suddenly changed.”
The River Edge Condominium Association released a statement about the victim who resided in the condo community:
“Emira always had a pleasant smile and gracious mannerisms and was an asset to the community and our building. She epitomized what a great neighbor “is and should be.”
Police have not publicly identified the driver, and charges have not yet been filed.
Authorities said that will likely happen soon and will potentially include charges of motor vehicle homicide and leaving the scene of an accident.
“My neighbor called me & said police want to talk to you.” Lynn man recalls how he learned about deadly hit & run accident involving wife Emira Barucija. He says Emira walked to bus stop daily to get to job at Salem Hospital & often worried about reckless drivers #Boston25 pic.twitter.com/vBziexy6ig
— Drew Karedes (@DrewKaredes) March 29, 2023
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2023 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/YUGWFZRSC5FDDLVVOQ4ODEE6C4.PNG)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/22BMTROT4FAZXC7X2BOOIWTVE4.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/SCZF257AZRAIJKCKOZEW3AK3ZU.jpeg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/DABOUZFCQNGXNN2XFST6KPZ47Q.jfif)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XJEO4GYWK5CEVLR57SDJLPOUS4.jpeg)