8 A.M. UPDATE — Valerie Michelle Camacho died of her injuries this morning at 5:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola. Camacho, a 17-year-old Crestview resident, was struck by a vehicle on Tuesday, Sept. 15. The traffic investigation is ongoing and Lt. Jamie Grant with the Crestview Police Department is in charge of the investigation.
CRESTVIEW — A 17-year-old Crestview girl remained in critical condition Wednesday afternoon, more than 24 hours after searchers found her in a ditch along Antioch Road.
Valerie Michelle Camacho, a senior at Crestview High School, had gone out for a run about 5 a.m. Her father reported her missing after she did not return.
Crestview Police Chief Tony Taylor said Wednesday at 3 p.m. that Camacho was out of surgery, but not out of danger.
“She was pretty banged up,” he said.
Counselors were available for students at Crestview High School, where Camacho is a senior.
"She’s just a great kid," Principal Dexter Day said. "One of our honor students."
He said the school and student body would likely find a way to show support.
"We’re just finding out what the needs of the parents are right now," Day said. "We will be doing something."
The alleged driver, 31-year-old Michael B. Stanfill Jr., knew he had hit something and got out to look, according to preliminary information released by the Crestview Police Department.
"He hit something he thought was a deer or a bear," said Asst. Chief Rick Brown. "He couldn’t find anything."
Stanhill continued down the road until he saw a Florida Highway Patrol trooper. The FHP trooper was backing out of his yard when Stanhill stopped and said he thought he hit something. The two then went back to the area to search. A second trooper joined them, but they were unable to find anything, Brown said.
Stanhill had told the trooper he thought the accident happened on the north side of the overpass, where they were searching. Camacho was found on the south side.
"It was really hard to see her," Brown said.
Taylor said he’d heard that there were groups talking about fundraising for the teen, but was not aware of any details.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Katie Tammen at 850-315-4440 or ktammen@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KatieTnwfdn. Contact Daily News Staff Writer Trista Pruett at 850-315-4445 or tpruett@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @TristaPnwfdn.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: UPDATE: Police investigate ‘hit and run’ on P.J. Adams Parkway