Woman hit by Philadelphia police car in Kensington has died

KENSINGTON (WPVI) -- The woman who was hit by a Philadelphia police car last week in the Kensington section of the city has died.

Michelle Kolk, 40, died at 5:05 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

Kolk, a mother of two, had been hospitalized in critical condition since she was struck on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 18 in the 3000 block of 'F' street.

A bystander recorded the tense moments after Kolk was hit by the cruiser. It shows officers on the scene, including the driver of the cruiser, placing her in their car for transport to the hospital.

Police sources say at the time officers were in the area responding to a foot pursuit.

Philadelphia police say the officer in the cruiser put the car in reverse, and backed up into Kolk. Unlike the newer police cruisers on the street, sources say that cruiser didn't have a rear view camera.

The incident remains under investigation.

Kolk's family spoke to Action News last Thursday. They want to know how the officer behind the wheel did not see her.

"For the life of me, I can't understand how she was hit by a police cruiser in the middle of a park," said Denise Dietrich, relative.

"When the cop explained it to me, I thought she was hit on the street. When he said run down. I'm thinking a street, and when I found it was in a park, on a bench," said Dietrich.

The officer involved has been placed on non-driving status as part of police policy.

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