BOISE, Idaho — A Boise man was arrested Tuesday on two felony charges related to a deadly hit-and-run Monday evening that killed 56-year-old Erma Sookiyak.
Edin Begic, 36, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in a death, as well as evidence tampering (destruction, alteration or concealment).
At 7:15 p.m. Monday, Boise Police responded to State Street, west of N. Roe Street - where they discovered a pedestrian who had been hit and killed by a vehicle. Police believe the fatal collision happened sometime between 6:30 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
Investigators believe Begic was traveling east on State Street when he hit Sookiyak on or near the roadway, before leaving the scene of the crime. She was pronounced dead at the scene due to injuries sustained from being hit.
Sookiyak was identified by the Ada County Coroner's Office on Tuesday.
"[She was] literally the nicest lady with a heart of gold. She’d give you the shirt off her back," said Sookiyak's son-in-law, Zachary Rule.
Rule told KTVB that she was visiting her grandchildren in Boise at the time of the incident.
“She came down from Anchorage to help Jeanette and me watch the kids. She was leaving in a week," Rule said. "She formed a really close bond with our children, she read them the bible every day, would cook them breakfast, and did their homework with them when they got home from school."
He spoke with Sookiyak 20 minutes before the fatal accident happened. She was near Rule's home and was walking to the convenience store when she was hit.
On Tuesday, one day after the hit-and-run, Begic was arrested after detectives received a tip from a tow truck driver that a vehicle in a nearby apartment complex matched the description of the vehicle involved in the hit-and-run.
BPD stated at the start of the investigation that evidence had indicated Sookiyak was hit by a silver or gray vehicle that "likely has noticeable damage to the front end, windshield and hood."
At 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Boise Police were dispatched to the 2000 block of W. Stewart Avenue to investigate the report made by the tow truck driver who was patrolling the complex for vehicles without permits.
The driver informed police that he noticed a vehicle was covered in blankets. He then removed the vehicle from the parking spot and loaded it onto his flatbed truck, according to BPD. That is when the driver recognized the vehicle and notified authorities.
The vehicle involved in the incident was a silver Honda. Police stated it had extensive damage to the front-end and a shattered windshield. Investigators noted that additional evidence was found on the Honda, such as hair stuck in the cracks of the windshield, further indicating that it was the vehicle involved in the crash.
After positively identifying the vehicle, detectives were able to locate the driver and suspect, Edin Begic. Begic is the son of the vehicle's owner.
Begic was arrested and booked into the Ada County Jail.
Boise Police credited the community for assisting investigators by sharing information about the suspected vehicle, which they stated ultimately led to the arrest.
Erma Sookiyak was killed in a hit-and-run collision in Boise while vising family
Sookiyak was a mother to Jeanette Muth, Erica Muth and Robert Muth. She was a grandmother to Elijah Henderson, Faith, Gary and Angel Fank, Autumn Hansell, and Karolyne, Kaylee and Audrina Torres.
"Spending time with her family was her greatest joy," Rule added. "Our last conversation 20 min before she passed was, she wanted to get the kids clothes in Shaktoolik (a small, 300-person remote community in northern Alaska where she is from). She loved the kids more than anything and believed God and education were most important."
She loved fishing, spending time in nature, specifically oceans or rivers, and loved 80’s rock and was a heck of a pool player.
"Just an absolute light to anyone she met," Rule said. "We’re going to struggle to fill the hole she’s left us with, not many people can fill her shoes and she truly was incredible woman. You will always be missed and never forgotten.”
Idaho Transportation Department made the following statement:
As with all crashes our hearts go out to the victim and their loved ones, however at this time we do not know the circumstances behind this hit-and-run. ITD takes every fatality on our roadways seriously and we will review this once the investigation is complete.
The incident and death are under investigation by Boise Police Department and Idaho State Police. If you have any information, contact Ada County Dispatch at (208)377-6790.
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