Photo by voteprime.

A woman was struck by a vehicle early this morning in Dupont Circle and later died. According to at least eyewitness, the driver who hit the woman fled from the scene.

The woman, who reportedly had been celebrating her 25th birthday last night, was struck as she was attempting to exit her own parked car along the 1300 block of Connecticut Avenue NW around 1:35 a.m. The woman was thrown about ten feet in the collision. She was transported to the hospital, but died shortly thereafter. Six hours later, police said that they had located a black Lexus SUV at a Chevy Chase apartment building which they believe to have been involved in the hit and run. D.C. police worked with Montgomery County authorities to find the car, and got a big hand from a passing cyclist who witnessed the hit and run, sped up to get the offender’s Maryland tag number and then called police.

Authorities are still searching for the driver of the Lexus SUV. Connecticut Avenue was closed for a few hours while authorities investigated, but all lanes of the street were open by 9 a.m. this morning.