A man known for walking near his home became a hit-and-run victim Wednesday when two cars struck him.
Robert Jones, 66, was in a familiar area of Henry County, crossing busy Ga. 20 when the deadly incident happened, according to Channel 2 Action News.
Police said the first driver stopped to help, but the second one bypassed stopped cars, hit Jones and kept going. Jones died shortly after 6:30 a.m.
Jones was not in a crosswalk when he was hit, but friends say he would often walk with a reflective vest and took no chances with traffic.
“He's an older man, too, so he's not just going to jump out there,” said his pastor, Timothy McBride of Tabernacle of Praise Church International. "A lot of people are really just shaken by this."
When Jones wasn’t in church, his pastor said there was a good chance he was on a walk.
"He was always walking, always talking to everybody, always blessing everybody, would give you the shirt off his back," McBride said.
Police said they don't have a clear description from witnesses of the second vehicle. It was dark about the time of the crash.
Surveillance video from nearby businesses could help solve the case.
Jones’ family is hoping the second driver can answer some lingering questions.
"Hopefully, this person can come forward,” McBride said, “and it can bring closure to this whole situation."
A GoFundMe page was established to raise money for funeral costs. It had generated more than $1,100 as of Thursday morning.
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