Identifying Car in Hit and Run Death

I'm no expert on this, but hitting a person or a deer will beat the shit out of a car. Especially if it's a newer car, since they're made to crumple on impact. Older cars, like '60s and '70s Detroit iron, will hold up better.

Many things can happen during the impact, and flaking paint is likely. But unless it's something like Orbit Orange, which was only used on the 1970 GTO Judge, I doubt it would help identify the model. Could at least give a clue as to the manufacturer and the year.

Other parts of the car could come off. Like the bumper. That would make it a lot easier to identify.

How well-known would the driver be? Would he have neighbors, friends in town? This could be a problem.

"Hey Bob, haven't seen the GTO for a while. What happened?"

Alvah said:

Suppose a person walking on a country road is hit and killed by a driver who leaves the scene of the accident.

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Is the person killed by the impact of hitting the car (definitely a lot of damage to the car), or by secondary factors - e.g. he falls from the road down an incline and dies from the impact of hitting a tree? The latter is a lot less helpful in identifying the car.

There are no eye-witnesses. Could the police get evidence from the scene which would help them identify what kind of car was involved?

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It's really shocking how specific they can get from small pieces of evidence, like a piece of glass from a headlight. If it's factory equipment, they can sometimes identify make, model, and a range of years from a piece the size of a half dollar (and sometimes not - it depends on exactly which piece they have). The injuries to the victim can also help identify the type of vehicle, as computer modeling can rapidly determine the height and shape of the car's front end... absent other injuries, or animal scavenging if it's a few days before he's found.

If the driver lives in the area, say within 20 miles, how likely is it
that the driver would never be found?

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In a small town, deep forensic investigation may not really be normal procedure, so if the driver has an older car and is savvy enough to do his own auto work - well, he could just grab a few new pieces from the junkyard, and the damage would be gone. If he's used aftermarket parts, the forensic details may not be conclusive enough to narrow anything down.

There is an amazing amount of evidence left behind at the scene ... from the damage to the victim's body, paint chips and smudges on the clothes, broken light covers, etc.

The car itself may have blood, hair, clothing fibers and the obvious dents and blood.

And a small town force has manuals to follow and state labs to send things to. Hit and Run is a serious felony.

No, the paint will not give make/model.
Yes, there is often good evidence. Tire impressions and tail light lens pieces are the most common.
No, vic clothing pieces are not likely to be recovered from the veh. Blood is a possibility, however, and that would be very good evidence.

If the po-po can come up with a list of poss car types, poss small town suspects, their investigation will turn to placing those suspects. Joe was definitely at work but his wife had the car. Andy also has a car that fits the range, and his whereabouts are unk. Jim was known to be driving from the boy scout meeting to the church--would have had his son and the Thompson boy w/ him. Go interview those kids. Go see what the various possible drivers have to say. Put out a CrimeStoppers-type request, accepting tips. Driver's ex-girlfriend has a fight w/ someone and calls in a thought that it was Eddie, who was drunk that AM. Someone else calls and says Ted always drives like an idiot and was bragging in the tavern that night about shmucking a deer or something on county rd 6. Once inv turns to interviews/testimony, cross-checking statement they are largely tedious, chasing tiny wisps of possible info, but often productive.

Also, verr likely the crime will not be solved. Ever.

I'm thinking that police would also be looking at local smash-repairers in the area, and asking if a car has come in with damage that would be consistent with the kind of accident they are looking for.