Rhode Island woman charged in crash that killed 85-year-old Vanda Makovetskiy

Attorney General Peter Neronha announced that a Providence woman has been charged in Providence County Superior Court with leaving the scene of a hit and run crash that killed an 85-year-old Providence woman in October 2023.

On February 26, 2024, the Office of the Attorney General charged 28-year-old Caitlin Kelly by way of criminal information, with one count of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.

As alleged in the criminal information, on October 4, 2023, at approximately 6:15 a.m., Providence Police responded to a report of a hit and run involving a pedestrian at North Main Street and Pleasant Street. Vanda Makovetskiy was crossing North Main Street when a gray sedan struck her and fled the scene. Makovetskiy was alert immediately following the crash but later succumbed to her injuries.

According to an obituary, Makovetskiy was on her regular morning walk as she did with her loving husband.

As further alleged, investigators collected video surveillance footage from several nearby businesses, as well as several Flock cameras, and identified the vehicle as belonging to Kelly. Investigators then went to Kelly’s address and observed a gray BMW sedan with significant damage.

As alleged, Kelly admitted to investigators that she was driving on North Main Street during the time of the accident but did not remember hitting anyone. Investigators then obtained a warrant to search Kelly’s cell phone, where they found many text messages sent by her before the crash, a lull during the time of the crash, and a text sent following the crash that stated she struck someone with her vehicle.

Kelly is scheduled for a pre-arraignment conference on April 1, 2024, in Providence County Superior Court.