Raleigh police say cell phone data, tip led them to driver who hit 12-year-old girl

Cell phone data and a tip from a Triangle resident helped Raleigh police find the driver they say fatally hit a 12-year-old girl on Nov. 25.

Family members of Samantha Briggs joined Raleigh police Friday afternoon at a news conference about the arrest of two people in the case.

Blanca Iris De Mari Escobar-Roblero, the driver of the white Honda Civic EX that hit Samantha, was charged with felony hit and run resulting in a death, police said.

Escobar-Roblero’s husband, Wilmer Morales-Roblero, was arrested on a charge of felony accessory after the fact to hit and run.

Both are also charged with felony obstruction of justice for allegedly burning the car after the incident, police said.

Police Chief Estella Patterson said investigators were able to find the suspects “with small bits of information here and there.”

After a second information checkpoint conducted May 12, police got a tip from a caller who said they had seen the white Honda Civic in Kittrell.

Police later found the car completely burned in Louisburg.

Patterson said they also relied on cell phone data and text messages between the suspects about burning the car, according to a report by WRAL.

Tragedy after a Thanksgiving birthday

Samantha was fatally struck Nov. 25, the day after Thanksgiving and her 12th birthday.

After a trip to a nearby Sheetz convenience store, she and four others were trying to cross Hillsborough Street near Bashford Road, an area east of Cary. There is no crosswalk or sidewalk where Samantha was hit.

At Friday’s news conference, Briggs’ sister thanked the person who called in the tip, the Raleigh community and Raleigh police for “not giving up on this case.”

“Nothing will bring my sister back, but this is a new beginning for my family,” Dakisha Holmes said. “My heart is still trying to figure out how to heal. This last six months have been hard for us.”

Holmes said she hopes the driver of the car that struck her sister gets whatever they deserve.

“You left my sister to die, a child. You just took her away. Our hearts are not in a space of forgiveness right now, and I’m so sorry for that,” Holmes said.

Police say the driver of the car was going eastbound on Hillsborough and drove off after hitting Samantha at about 45 mph, which is also the speed limit there.

Escobar is being held on $50,000 bail and Morales-Roblero on $25,000 bail. They will appear in court June 22., according to ABC11, The News & Observer’s media partner.

Patterson encouraged the Raleigh community to share any tips they have on local crimes.

“The weather is starting to warm up here, and we know that we will see crime begin to rise,” she said. “We need the help of the public ... You did it in this instance to bring justice for Samantha Briggs, and you can do it in many other cases for our victims.”