Mom of Hit-And-Run Victim Erika Strebel: 'She Will Be Eternally Missed'

Two days after her daughter was killed in an Eastport hit-and-run Sunday, Erika Strebel's mother Maureen has spoken out about the tragedy.

"We hope that you can all understand that this is a very tragic, emotional and sad moment for the Strebel and Barton families. We have lost our daughter, Erika, a very loving and beautiful young mother. She will be eternally missed."

Of Strebel's companion, who was injured in the accident, Maureen Strebel wrote, "Eddie Barton is a wonderful young man. He is in stable condition but still has a long road of recovery ahead of him."

Maureen Strebel and her husband Leo said they wanted to thank friends and loved ones for their kind wishes and offers of assistance.

"This has meant a lot to our families. We also thank the first responders for their professional response and everybody who stopped to help Erika and Eddie that night," she said.

Strebel also asked the media to respect the family's privacy "during this extremely difficult and emotional time."

And she asked that anyone with information reach out to the Suffolk County Police Department and Crime Stoppers.

As friends and loved ones continue to mourn Strebel, a young mother who was struck down by a hit-and-run driver in Eastport on Sunday, heartbroken messages continue to pour in to a Facebook page set up in her memory.

"Erika's not the type of person that can be summed up in a quote," her friend, Elayna Jespersen, told Patch; Jesperson set up the Facebook page. "She was a woman deserving of a million words. She was vibrant, she was always there when you needed her, and she always made sure she said 'I love you'. There is an ache in our hearts and a void that can never be filled now that she's gone. No one can brighten a room with a simple smile like she could, no one could say 'Oh my God, I know, right!' like she could, and no one could suck down Pepsi like she could.

"She was a beautiful person with an opinion and when she was in a mood, an attitude like no other. At our small vigil, her closest friends joined in sharing funny stories we had of her, many, many tears, memories of days long since passed, and wishes for the days ahead as we all try to help each other heal. She was extremely known and very much loved. As odd as it may sound, I can't think of ways to describe her. It's just a feeling of joy as silliness when I think of her. She's at peace now," Jespersen said.

Strebel, 27, who lived in Eastport, was killed and a man was injured during a hit-and-run accident in Eastport.

Strebel and Barton were standing near Strebel’s disabled 1988 Jeep on the shoulder of the eastbound lane when they were struck by a vehicle that was traveling east on Montauk Highway, according to police.

The vehicle, which police said would have sustained front end damage, fled east on Montauk Highway. According to a police spokeswoman, the vehicle that hit them was believed to be large, like a sport utility vehicle or a pickup truck, and possibly metallic blue.

Detectives from the Suffolk County Police Vehicular Crime Unit are investigating the crash that occurred on Montauk Highway, near Old Montauk Highway, at about 9:05 p.m.

Strebel was taken by East Moriches Ambulance to Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead where she was pronounced dead. Barton, 26, of East Moriches, was transported by Suffolk County Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital where he is being treated for head and knee injuries, according to police.

"Erika and my daughter, Courtney Amos were best friends in Eastport from an early age," wrote Dianna Andres. "Erika's family lived behind us on South Bay Avenue. We loved her as one of our own. Our hearts are broken and we grieve for Erika and her family and friends. We wish we could be there, but we live in Florida," Dianna and her husband Paul said. "She always called me her 'second Mom.' She was a very loving person." 

Detectives have asked that anyone with information about the accident call the Vehicular Crime Unit at 631-852-6555 or call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

Do you have memories of Erika Strebel that you'd like to share, or a message you'd like to send to her friends and loved ones? Share your thoughts with Patch here in the comments section. Our hearts go out to her loved ones, and to her son.