Police: Driver hit 60-year-old pedestrian, fled scene

ATLANTA - A 60-year-old man was critically injured after Atlanta Police said he was the victim of a hit-and-run driver.

The man was walking on the sidewalk next to Mozley Park on Martin Luther King Jr Drive when he was struck by a silver SUV around noon on Monday.

Fortunately, a quick-thinking nearby resident snapped a picture of the fleeing vehicle with her cell phone. The woman, who did not want to be identified, said the windows on the vehicle were too dark to tell who was driving.

The woman said she looked out her window to see a silver SUV careening down the hill into Mozley Park as it left the sidewalk, then drove up the hill at the park, and left the scene.

“It looked very apparent to me that someone was trying to evade a scene and I was able to come out my front door. And I was able to get two photos of the back of the car,” she said.

After she snapped the picture, she looked to her left and realized apparently why the silver SUV sped off.

“I saw a man crumpled on the sidewalk and it was really horrific and he did not look in very good condition,” she said.

Atlanta Police told FOX 5 News the hit-and-run victim was rushed to Atlanta Medical Center and is unable to say who hit him, leaving him for dead.

Investigators said evidence collected at the scene helped them identify the SUV as a 2003 to 2005 Honda Pilot.

“Since we were able to remove parts of that front end of that vehicle which assisted us in identifying what type of vehicle it was,” said Officer Stephanie Brown.

Police suspect for some reason the driver of the SUV lost control while going eastbound on M.L.King Drive, went up on the sidewalk, struck the victim, then left the scene after driving out through the park.

“Were you convinced they knew they hit somebody as fast as they were driving and as fast as they were trying to get away I think it was pretty obvious. I really hope he pulls through.” She said.

Atlanta Police are asking metro Atlanta area body repair shops to keep a close eye out for the silver SUV with front-end damage.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS.

There could be a $2,000 reward involved and tipsters can remain anonymous.