Has anyone dealt with a hit & run?

[SouthPaw]

A few weeks ago, I was rear ended and the driver fled the scene. I chased him for about 40 min while on the phone with dispatch. Dispatch eventually connected me with the officer that was assigned to the call, and he instructed me that they were not going to pursue the vehicle and to stop chasing. I argued that I was not going to stop chasing until the police showed up, and he told me they were not going to pursue the vehicle since they had the license plate information.

I met with the officer after I turned around and he took my information and stated he was going to the registered owners address to investigate. He called a few days later saying the registered owner 'sold the vehicle to a friend a few weeks ago' and was no longer the owner. Most likely a BS story, but nothing I can do about it. This was a few weeks ago, and the officer called today and said they haven't gotten any further with the case, but he would send me the insurance information for the vehicle. The policy on the vehicle is current. I've been told that if they cannot identify the driver, they will not cover it. I contacted his insurance company today and they started a claim, but who knows if anything will come of it.

Has anyone been in a similar situation or work in auto insurance that can give me some pointers? If I had to guess, my vehicle has at least $1500+ in damage. I'd love for this scum bag to be charged, but ultimately want my car fixed.