Stratford hit & run driver faces a judge

STRATFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- A hit and run in Stratford earlier this month left a Bridgeport man in critical condition at the hospital. The driver of the car is now charged with leaving the scene, and faced a judge Wednesday.

Back on August 21st, Stratford police say 35-year-old Courtney Holifield hit a motorcyclist with her car and then fled the scene. The motorcyclist, 25-year-old David Weiler of Bridgeport, has been in the intensive care unit at Bridgeport hospital since.

Holifield is charged with felony evading. She was in court Wednesday. Through her attorney, she pleaded not guilty.

News 8 spoke with her attorney after the arraignment.

"She's from California, she didn't know the area. She went home, got her husband immediately and called the police," said Attorney Thomas Cotter.

"So how much time lapsed would you say," asked News 8's Ali Reed.

"I'm not certain," said Cotter. "I don't want to guess, but not more than an hour."

"Was she aware that she hit someone," Reed asked.

"I don't want to talk about the facts of the case," Cotter replied.

The victim's father, who was in court Wednesday, tells News 8 his son was just taken out of the ICU, but remains in the hospital, suffering from neurological damage. He says he wants to know how the woman could just leave his son lying in the road after she hit him.

"She had a child in the car," said Cotter, "it was a horrendous situation, so she did what she thought was reasonable under the circumstances, turned herself in."

Holifield will be back in court on October 3rd.