Young mother left to die after struck by hit and run driver

FITCHBURG, Mass. — A plea from a distraught Fitchburg father: “Come forward, just come forward and do the right thing,” said Jose Gonzales whose daughter was struck by a driver on Water Street on Monday night.

That plea seems to have had an impact.

On Thursday morning, Fitchburg Police confirmed to Boston 25 News that the driver involved voluntarily came to their police station to be interviewed and is now facing charges.

The accused driver has been identified as Alvin Gaston, 42, of Ayer.

“He has been charged with Leaving the Scene of a Personal Injury Accident. Additional charges are a possibility, but would be dependent upon the final results of the investigation,” said police in a statement.

Jose Gonzalez says his daughter Samantha Dayao, 22 years old, also from Fitchburg was left to die by a hit and run driver.

“According to what I’ve heard so far the person got out of the car to check to see what they hit and continued to take off,” said Gonzalez.

Dayao finished work at the Wendy’s in nearby Leominster and headed home to see her six-year-old son Lucas.

Gonzalez tells Boston 25 News that his daughter Samantha didn’t normally walk home from work. But on Monday, the day it snowed, she left after her 8 o’clock shift. The sidewalks were covered with snow and she was forced to walk along the side of the road.

Police do have surveillance video they are not releasing yet that shows the hit and run. They told Gonzalez she never even saw the car that hit her.

Luckily the people in the next car did and called 911. Dayao was left severely injured.

“She has numerous fractures in her face pretty much every bone in her face was broken. She has bleeding in the brain also a broken arm and broken leg,” said Gonzalez.

Dayao was in surgery for at least six hours on Wednesday with many more to come.

“She will be in a cast immobile for a while, wheelchair-bound until recovery which could be anywhere from six months to a couple of years, " said her father.

Her co-workers have put together a gofundme page to help Sam in her recovery. Her dad Jose just wanted police to find whomever did this to his little girl.

“I’m hoping they do find who did this and bring some sort of closure and justice to the situation.” Said Gonzalez.

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