On Behalf of O’Malley Tunstall PLLC | May 10, 2020 | Personal Injury

If you drive about an hour and a half west of Raleigh, you will arrive in Jamestown. According to recent news reports, authorities there are looking for the driver of a Honda Civic that they believe was involved in a fatal hit-and-run pedestrian accident.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol stated that a 39-year-old Raleigh man died at the scene of the crash on I-85 Business in Jamestown.

Officials say the 2007-2008 Honda Civic is likely to have damage to the right side of its front bumper and possibly to the right side of the hood as well. According to a news report, the passenger-side mirror will likely be missing as well, the Highway Patrol said in a press release.

The Raleigh man’s vehicle was found near the site of the pedestrian crash. According to the Highway Patrol’s accident report, officials do not know why the man parked his car and entered the roadway.

They do know that he was then struck and killed by a vehicle (believed to the Honda) and that that driver then sped away.

Unfortunately, this was not the only recent fatal hit-and-run pedestrian accident. The State Highway Patrol said there was a crash in the 5300 block of Rock Quarry Road that took the life of a 28-year-old Raleigh man who was walking in the eastbound travel lane.

He was apparently struck by a red minivan. The driver reportedly got out of the van and then drove away from the scene. The pedestrian was transported to WakeMed, where he later died of his injuries.

We don’t know why these two tragedies occurred or whether they were the result of impaired driving, speeding, distracted driving or some other driver error. We do know that there is no excuse to drive off and leave a badly injured pedestrian lying in the street.

Could more timely medical attention have saved either of these men? We will never know.