MANCHESTER, N.H. — Authorities have identified the victim of a fatal hit-and-run outside a Manchester fast-food restaurant as 60-year-old Juliana Harbeck of Rindge. Police say Harbeck was struck Wednesday evening in the parking lot of the Taco Bell on Second Street and later died from her injuries. The incident has sparked an intensive search for the driver accused of fleeing the scene.
Responding officers found Harbeck lying in the parking lot with severe injuries after the crash. Emergency crews rushed her to a nearby hospital, but despite life-saving efforts, she was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Investigators said the driver, identified as 27-year-old Maria Posada Canizales of Manchester, was behind the wheel of a 2019 Infiniti Q-50 when the collision occurred. Authorities say Canizales fled the scene and is now wanted on a felony charge of conduct after an accident, a law that covers leaving the scene of a fatal crash.
Court documents reviewed by News 9 Investigates reveal troubling details about Canizales’ history with traffic violations. On August 2, just weeks before Harbeck’s death, Canizales was cited for operating without a valid license while driving the same Infiniti. The revelation has raised questions about whether she was legally authorized to drive at the time of the hit-and-run. The New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles has not yet provided clarification on her current license status.
Investigators are still working to piece together the circumstances of the crash, including whether Harbeck was walking, entering the restaurant, or otherwise in the vehicle’s path when she was struck. Police have not disclosed whether speed, impairment, or other factors may have contributed. For now, authorities say the focus remains on locating Canizales and ensuring justice for Harbeck’s family.
The loss has left a deep impact on the Rindge community, where Harbeck was known as a warm and kind woman. Friends and loved ones are grappling with the sudden tragedy, describing it as a senseless act of recklessness that cut short a life filled with love and promise.
Manchester police are urging anyone with information on Canizales’ whereabouts or the 2019 Infiniti Q-50 to come forward immediately. Tips can be submitted directly to the department, and officials stress that public assistance could be crucial to advancing the case. As the investigation continues, Harbeck’s death serves as a grim reminder of the dangers posed by hit-and-run drivers and the far-reaching consequences of irresponsible actions on the road.