Calgary

Maryam Rashidi dies from injuries sustained in Calgary gas-and-dash

The Centex gas station attendant who was hit by a stolen truck while trying to stop a theft on Sunday has died, say Calgary police.

Centex gas station worker had followed a pickup truck that had not paid for gas

Police have found the stolen pickup truck connected to a hit and run at a gas station in northwest Calgary. Officers also took two males into custody for questioning. (CBC)

Maryam Rashidi, the Centex gas station attendant who was hit by a stolen truck while trying to stop a theft on Sunday, has died. 

"She's gone, I lost my wife," her husband, Ahmad Rashidi, told CBC News as he took his son to the hospital. "I lost everything."

Calgary police say the 35-year-old woman, also known as Ashtiana, had followed a pickup truck that had not paid for gas.

Ashtiana Rashidi, known as Maryam, died from injuries received in a Calgary gas-and-dash on Sunday. (Maryam Rashidi Ashtiani/LinkedIn)

She stood in front of the vehicle to get it to stop, but the truck hit and ran over her.

"We are devastated at Maryam's passing," said Centex Petroleum president Alnoor Bhura. "Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathy go out to her family and friends. We pray they are able to get through this time of sadness and pain. We are all struggling with this at the moment."

He says gas thefts occur every day in Alberta and the company's policy is for employees to call police instead of putting themselves at risk.

Earlier this week Bhura called for "pay before pump" legislation

2 males taken into custody

Barrie Harrison with Occupational Health and Safety, which is investigating the incident, says new legislation is not a priority right now.

"Any gas station or gas company is free to implement a system that requires paying for fuel prior to the pump being operational," he said. "They don't require a law to tell them to do that."

Calgary police say they have recovered this stolen pickup truck connected with Sunday morning's hit and run near a Centex gas station. (Calgary Police Service)

Staff at the Centex station on 16th Avenue in northwest Calgary said it was only Maryam's third day on the job. A manager there said the staff are shocked and sad.

Police believe one of the suspects, who was a passenger in the stolen pickup, may be a minor. The truck was found abandoned last night in the Varsity neighbourhood in the city's northwest.

Police confirmed on Tuesday night they have taken two males into custody in connection with the incident. 

They will now interview the persons of interest to see if they were involved before moving forward with the investigation.

A trust fund has now been set up for Maryam's husband and son.