Talented PhD student, 27, killed by hit-and- run driver while she was crossing the street

A talented PhD student and aspiring marine biologist has been killed by a suspected hit-and-run driver who was believed to be under the influence of alcohol. Rachel Anne Morrison, 27, was walking home with a friend at the intersection of Camino Del Mar and Coast Boulevard in Del Mar, San Diego, at around 10.15pm on Friday night when she was killed. The car ran a stop sign and collided with Miss Morrison. Instead of stopping, the driver fled the scene, San Diego County Sheriff's Department said. Miss Morrison was taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla but was pronounced dead shortly after. The talented student studied at Scripps Insitution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. She became interested in fisheries management while studying for her undergraduate degree at Boston University. Police have since located a car suspected of being involved in the collision. Its owner, Christopher Stockmeyer, 41, has been arrested and charged with at least four counts including felony driving under the influence, felony hit and run and vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. He is expected to appear in court on Wednesday. In a statement to NBC 7, a spokesman for Miss Morrison said: 'Rachel was a beautiful person, inside and out. 'She was dedicated to her work in ocean conservation and exploration. She enjoyed simply being out on the water. She was a brilliant, giving, and selfless person that always had a smile on her face. 'Rachel was an explorer at heart, sailing across the Pacific and collecting valuable data as she went. 'We will always keep her in our hearts and miss her dearly.'