UPDATED Tuesday, May 12, 2011 --- 3:57 p.m.

Press Release from the Columbia Co. Sheriff's Office:

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is again seeking any information from the public regarding the hit and run fatality of victim Shari Sampson.

Ms. Sampson was killed during the evening hours of May 13, 2010. Ms. Sampson was found deceased lying in the roadway on STH 16 near Wolfram Road in the Township of Lewiston. The initial investigation revealed evidence that Ms. Sampson had been struck by, at least, one vehicle. The Sheriff’s Office continues to follow-up on all leads and further continues to actively search for a bronze-colored, early 2000s model Saturn vehicle.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office at (608) 742-4166 x3316 or Columbia County Crimestoppers Inc at 1-800-293-TIPS (8477).

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UPDATED Tuesday, May 18, 2010 at 8:30 p.m.

Forty-seven-year-old Shari Sampson was killed a few days after Mother's day, and now her mother says she won't rest until this case is solved.

Sampson wasn't just a daughter, she was also a mother, and a grandmother, which made the timing of this tragedy even worse.

"We talked about her daughter and grandson. And we talked about her son," said Ruth Ann Fox.

When Fox, who lives in Florida, spoke on the phone to her daughter Shari Sampson on Mother's Day, she had no idea it would be their last conversation.

"And we talked about the baby that's due in fall. She was very excited about that."

Four days later, on May 13, Sampson would lose her life just outside of her hometown of Portage. It was 10 o'clock at night.

The sheriff's office says Sampson was walking along Highway 16. She had just left a bar a half mile back, but only had half a beer. They're not sure what happened next. All they know is she was run over.

The vehicle that hit Sampson fled. A short time later another driver saw the body and called 911. While that person was on the phone, a second vehicle hit Sampson and again left the scene. Police say that second car was a 2001 or 2002 metallic brown Saturn SL 4-door. They have nothing on the first car.

Said Dennis Richards, the Columbia County Sheriff, "The problem that we are running into is that we have no witnesses short of the witness that observed the second vehicle run her over."

"It's constantly, constantly on my mind," added Fox. "There's somebody out there who knows something. I'm feeling a huge loss. It's like part of me is gone. I'm feeling anger, frustration. I'm not going to stop fighting for Shari now. Not until there's closure and resolution and things are done."

If you have any information on the first or second vehicles in this case your asked to call the Columbia County Sheriff's Department.

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UPDATED Tuesday, May 18, 2010 --- 6:43 p.m.

Press Release from the Columbia County Sheriff's Department:

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a 2001 or 2002 Saturn SL 4 door, metallic bronze in color but may also be mistaken for gold ,dark tan, medium brown or pewter color. This information was received from parts of the vehicle left at the scene.

This vehicle has passenger front end and under carriage damage. This vehicle would have been east bound on Highway 16 (traveling towards Portage) at approximately 9:45 PM, May 13th, 2010.This vehicle is probably still drivable. However, the vehicle lost an excessive amount of fluid, this fluid was an “oily “consistency.

This office believes this vehicle would be the second vehicle to hit the victim. At this time, we have no charges against the driver of this second vehicle. It is possible the driver of this second vehicle may not be aware they had struck a pedestrian, and may think they had struck an animal.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office needs to talk with the individual that may have been involved in this incident in effort to bring closure to this case.
Anyone with any information, including any repair shops or automotive centers that may have been involved in the repair or towing of this vehicle, are being asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 608-742-4166 or Columbia County Crime Stoppers.
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UPDATED Friday, May 14, 2010 --- 2:30 p.m.

A Portage woman is dead after being run over - twice.

Right now there are two people out there who ran over a woman and drove away. Police need your help to find them.

The Columbia County Sheriff's Office got the call around 10 last night.
They responded to Hwy 16, near Wolfram Road where a woman was lying on the street.

The person who called 911 believed the woman had been struck by a vehicle. While the caller was on the phone with the dispatcher, another vehicle came along and hit the body again.

Both the vehicles left the scene. When police arrived the victim was dead. They believe the first hit killed her. The victim was 47-year-old Sheri Sampson from Portage.

Said Columbia County Sheriff Dennis Richards, "At this point we don't know if the person was struck while walking, if she may have tripped and fell, or if she was laying in the road when she got struck. All of that we are trying to determine at this time."

Sampson has two children, they are both in their twenties. She was at a local bar before the hit and run, but police say she only had one drink before leaving to walk along Highway 16.

Police do not think the first vehicle that hit Sampson has any damage.
But, the second vehicle did leak transmission fluid onto the road. It will also have some damage to the front end spoiler and fender well.

They are asking anyone with information to call the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.

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UPDATED Friday, May 14, 2010 --- 2:30 p.m.

Update from the Columbia County Sheriff's Department:

The victim of the fatal accident on 05-13-2010 at 09:58 pm Hwy 16 near Wolfram Rd in the township of Lewiston, has been identified as Shari A Sampson age 47 of Portage.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is continuing their investigation in this accident. At this time it appears that the victim may have been struck by two separate vehicles within a short time span.

One of the vehicles involved sustained lower front end body damage and had its transmission damaged causing a severe leak. A piece of front spoiler along with other under carriage plastic parts was found at the scene of the accident. This vehicle pulled off to the side of the road a short distance beyond the victim. The vehicle then left the scene E.B. on Hwy 16 towards the city of Portage. The driver did not attempt to return to see what had been ran over.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office is asking that anyone that may have seen the victim walking or laying on Hwy 16 or any vehicles pulled off to the side of the road to contact them at 608-742-4166. Any information obtained in this accident will help possibly solve the case.

The accident remains under investigation by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Columbia County Medical Examiner’s Office and the Wisconsin State Patrol.

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Posted: Friday, May 14, 2010 --- 4:45 a.m.

Release from Columbia County Sheriff's Department:

On 05-13-2010 at 09:58 pm the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call of a person laying in the middle of Hwy 16 near Wolfram Rd in the township of Lewiston.

A 47 year old Portage woman was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:50 pm by the Columbia County Medical Examiner.

Upon initial investigation it appears the female was struck by at least one vehicle. Vehicle or vehicles involved left the scene without reporting the accident.

The name of the victim is being withheld until the family has been notified.

The accident remains under investigation by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol ,and the Columbia County Medical Examiner. Also assisting at the scene were Columbia County Highway Dept. and Divine Savior EMS.

The Columbia County sheriff’s Office is asking anyone that may have witnessed the accident or the female walking to call the Sheriff’s Office at 608-742-4166.

There was damage done to at least one of the vehicles that struck the female.