Family mourns woman killed in hit and run

The family of a Calgary woman killed in a hit and run thanked crash witnesses Wednesday for their help and shared details of the victim's life.

Marlgorzata "Margaret" Pulwicki, 58, was riding in the back seat of a car in northwest Calgary on Sunday when it was struck by a stolen truck. She died later in hospital.

The truck allegedly sped through a red light. Police said two men in the vehicletried to flee but were followed by witnesses and a police helicopter.

The family released a statement Wednesday, thanking the witnesses for their co-operation and the public for its support.

"We are truly thankful to our fellow Calgarians for being so honest and so supportive; there are few things better than knowing we are part of such a strong community."

Pulwicki's family remembered her as a "beautiful and caring woman" who immigrated from Poland to Canada with her husband in 1979. Pulwicki worked as a computer programmer and volunteered in the Polish community in Calgary.

She and her husband were inspired by the Rocky Mountains and over the years took up camping, hiking and skiing with their daughters.

"She was the kind of mom that would take a four-day road trip with her daughters to see a rock concert, or be the first to get us up on the weekends to go skiing," the family said.

Christopher James Rae, 26, has been charged with criminal negligence causing death, hit and run and being impaired by drugs.