As they grieve her death, the family of a senior citizen run down by a stolen pick-up truck in the Plateau over the weekend can at least find some solace knowing that police seem close to charging her attacker in the crime.

Ontario Provincial Police say a 33-year-old man has been arrested in North Bay, Ont. for driving a stolen pick-up truck. The truck is connected to the fatal hit-and-run of Zelia Ponte Araujo.

Ponte Araujo, 79, was mowed down as she crossed St-Urbain Blvd. at Mont-Royal Ave. Sunday. The truck, driving south on St-Urbain, did not stop after it hit the woman, instead turning left on Mont-Royal.

Two days later, the O.P.P. stopped the pick-up in North Bay and arrested the man for being in possession of a stolen vehicle.

They then discovered that same truck, a Chevrolet Silverado, was involved in the incident in Montreal.

“Shock and disbelief,” said her son Jim Araujo, as he described learning the fate of his mother. “I was devastated, because my father’s in a residence. My mom had planned everything for my father – for her to go out this way.”

The victim’s son said Ponte Araujo had lived in the neighbourhood some 50 years and was very social with family and friends, particularly because of the large Portuguese community there.

“She was very special to a lot of people around the neighbourhood. She could not pass you by twice and not talk to you,” said her son, who said there will be a funeral for her on Friday. “She’s lived in this area for so many years, so there’s big support for her.”

Jim Araujo said his mother loved people and was always ready with a pot of tea for guests.

“The spirit she had for living. She enjoyed being around people, she enjoyed joking around and getting out,” he said.

He added that an arrest is “not going to change anything,” but “for someone to do this and get away with it, he might do it again.”

Police determined on Monday the truck had Ontario licence plates AD13323. The truck’s bed box had the words "Elevator 1 Inc." in red letters, an elevator construction company in Barrie, Ont.

It was reportedly stolen sometime between Sept. 20 and 22.

Police so far can’t confirm if the arrested man was the driver in the hit-and-run.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or Info-Crime at 514-393-1133.

Investigators are checking with nearby businesses to see if any surveillance cameras may have captured images of the driver.