Hit-and-Run Accident in Tucson Leaves Pedestrian Dead

Tucson, Arizona—An as-yet unidentified 58-year-old man was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on Tucson's west side last Friday night.

According to witnesses, the pedestrian was crossing Speedway Boulevard on Grande Avenue.  They say he was struck by a westbound vehicle that was weaving in and out of traffic at a high rate of speed.

The victim was transported by the Tucson Fire Department to Banner University Medical Center where he died a short time later.

Tucson Police Department accident investigators report that, on Saturday, Lawrence D. Rodriguez, age 21, turned himself in and admitted that he was the suspect driver.  

Police confiscated his vehicle, a white Toyota 4Runner with substantial front-end damage and a missing side-view mirror.   Mr. Rodriguez was booked into Pima County Jail and charged with failure to remain at the scene of an injury accident.

No court date has been set.  The investigation is ongoing.  No further information is available. 

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to call 88-CRIME.

Our sympathies are with the victim’s family and friends at this time of great loss for them.