Friends remember pedestrian struck, killed in hit-and-run in Plaza Midwood

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Neighbors at a Charlotte senior home are mourning the death of a man hit and killed on Central Avenue.

A day after the accident, friends of the victim told Channel 9 he was a very well-known senior in Charlotte.

"He's funny, we all loved him and we wish he was still here today," said neighbor Saundra Cloud. "He had asked me to go to the store with him. I could have stopped him from having that accident."

"The big hat that he wore, and I guess he thought he was a wrangler or something. He was a good guy. I'm gonna miss him," said neighbor Jack Davis.

Police have charged a man they said hit and killed the victim Wednesday night in Plaza Midwood and kept driving.

Ngongo Musafiri has been charged with felony hit-and-run.

[ALSO READ: Plaza Midwood business owners push for more crosswalks]

Police said just before 6 p.m. Musafiri hit the man who was crossing Central Avenue. Officers found Musafiri a few blocks from the scene.

Investigators said he was not drunk or speeding.

The deadly crash happened right outside the Darby Acres shopping center in east Charlotte.

Police said the pedestrian was leaving the shopping center and tried to cross Central Avenue during one of the busiest times of the day, when he was hit.

[ALSO READ: Caldwell County deputies find car involved in fatal hit-and-run; no sign of driver]

Investigators said the victim was taken to the hospital where he later died. His name has not been released. Friends of the victim said he is in his 70s and lives in a senior facility.

"We want pedestrians to be safe as possible. One of the initiatives we've been doing and will be pushing this year is pedestrian safety. We want to make sure they are using a crosswalk and wearing light clothing so that they can be seen," said CMPD Sgt. Jesse Wood.

[ALSO READ: Injured bicyclist dies day after Union County hit-and-run]

Police are asking anyone who may have more information about the crash to immediately give investigators a call.

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