Pedestrian killed in Raleigh car crash that sent him over Wilmington Street bridge

Police have identified a pedestrian who was killed early Monday in a car crash that sent him over the South Wilmington Street bridge onto South Saunders Street below.

The preliminary investigation indicates 59-year-old Robert Jackson Henderson was walking on the right shoulder of South Wilmington Street just after 3 a.m. when he was struck by a vehicle, according to a Raleigh Police Department news release.

He then fell from the bridge onto South Saunders Street where police say he was struck by several more unidentified vehicles.

The suspect vehicle, a blue Honda CR-V, had struck the wall, sustaining heavy front-end damage, and was abandoned on the roadway bridge, the release stated. The driver had fled the scene.

Police later identified the driver as 22-year-old Chandler Evan Brown and charged him with felony hit/run death, felony death by vehicle, driving while impaired and other offenses.

Both South Saunders and South Wilmington streets were closed for several hours Monday morning. The crash remains under investigation.

This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 2:45 PM.