Man lying down on NC highway run over and killed in hit-and-run
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A man killed Friday in a hit-and-run on U.S. Highway 70 in Johnston County was lying down on the roadway, the State Highway Patrol said.
The Highway Patrol responded to a highway fatality after a man was hit and killed at approximately 1:26 a.m. in the town of Wilson’s Mills near Clayton.
The victim was identified as Hector Rodriguez Habana, 39.
Evidence from the scene of the death is consistent with Rodriguez Habana being run over while lying on the roadway, Sgt. John Collins told The News & Observer.
An SUV or a truck is suspected to have run him over and kept driving.
“There were no (vehicle) parts on the ground, no mirrors, glass or headlight lenses,” said Collins. “There’s no evidence that shows he was hit.”
Rodriguez Habana’s vehicle was stopped next to the highway with the door open and the engine running. Open cans of alcohol were found in the vehicle.
Alcohol is believed to be a factor, though the exact circumstances are unknown to authorities.
“The (driver) could have not known what they hit and kept going,” Collins said.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy and investigative report.
Anyone with information on the incident and the vehicle involved is asked to contact the State Highway Patrol by dialing *47, which is *HP on a cellular phone.
This story was originally published August 25, 2023 at 1:59 PM.
