Juliana Harbeck Obituary, Death – A woman killed in a fatal hit-and-run in Manchester has been identified as 60-year-old Juliana Harbeck of Rindge, according to information confirmed by local authorities. The incident remains under investigation as police continue efforts to locate the driver they believe was responsible.
The crash occurred Wednesday evening in the parking lot of a Taco Bell located off Second Street. Responding officers arrived to find Harbeck lying in the lot with life-threatening injuries. Emergency responders rushed her to a nearby hospital, but despite efforts to save her, she was pronounced dead not long after arrival.
Manchester police said their investigation quickly identified the driver as 27-year-old Maria Posada Canizales of Manchester. Officials reported that she was operating a 2019 Infiniti Q-50 when the crash occurred and then fled the scene. Canizales is currently wanted on a felony charge of conduct after an accident, which applies to leaving the scene of a fatal crash. She has not yet been taken into custody.
Court records obtained by News 9 Investigates reveal that this was not Canizales’ first encounter with law enforcement behind the wheel. On August 2, just weeks before the fatal collision, she was stopped while driving the same Infiniti and cited for operating without a valid driver’s license. That violation has raised questions about whether her license was legally valid at the time of this week’s incident. WMUR has reached out to the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles for clarification on her driving status, though no official update has been provided so far.
The circumstances of the crash and what led up to it are still unclear. Police have not stated whether Harbeck was walking in the lot, attempting to enter the restaurant, or if another factor played a role in her being struck. Investigators are working to piece together what happened in those critical moments before and after the collision.
For Harbeck’s family, friends, and the wider Rindge community, the sudden loss has been devastating. A woman described as kind and full of life had her future cut short by a senseless act of recklessness that is now the subject of a major police manhunt.
Law enforcement has asked for the public’s help in locating Canizales. They urge anyone with information about her whereabouts, or about the 2019 Infiniti Q-50 she was driving, to reach out immediately to the Manchester Police Department. Officials stress that community assistance could be key to moving the case forward and ensuring accountability in Harbeck’s death.
As the search continues, this case highlights ongoing concerns about hit-and-run crashes and the dangers posed by unlicensed or irresponsible drivers. It also underscores the ripple effects such tragedies create — leaving families grieving, communities shaken, and authorities scrambling to deliver justice.
Police say the investigation remains active, and updates will be provided as new details emerge. For now, Harbeck’s death is being treated as a preventable tragedy — one that investigators are determined to resolve.
