A 42-year-old Turlock woman was killed Thursday morning when she was struck by a hit and run driver while walking at a rural intersection south of Ceres.

The California Highway Patrol was notified at 6:58 a.m. of a mortally injured woman on the side of West Main Street just east of Morgan Road.

Emergency medical personnel arrived and immediately attempted life-saving measures, but she was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The woman was identified by officials as Michelle Mims.

Investigating CHP officers determined the victim had been struck by a passing vehicle but the exact circumstances of how the collision took place as well as the time are still under investigation.

There were no known witnesses and the make/model of the involved vehicle is unknown. It is unknown why the woman was walking in the sparsely populated area nearly six miles west of the freeway.

Anyone with information regarding the victim, driver or crash incident is asked to call the Modesto CHP Office at (209) 545-7440.