FORT PIERCE, Fla. — The search is on to find the driver of a hit-and-run crash that left a 49-year-old Fort Pierce man in critical condition.
"You know, safety is a big thing. I don't want to get hit trying to get home," Blake Chapman, who walks and relies on public transportation, said. "When the bus comes, a lot of times it'll pass you because you're so far off the road, so you have to head to the actual sign right there, which is pretty close to the road."
He said he takes the bus when he can but said they don't run late into the night.
WPTV asked Chapman if he feels safe at night.
"No, it's pretty dark, it's pretty dark. Especially through here," replied Chapman.
Fort Pierce police said the man hit Saturday night was crossing U.S. Highway 1 just south of Edwards Road.
"It appears the victim was attempting to cross the road and was not in a crosswalk," Fort Pierce police spokesman Larry Croom said. "We need our residents to help us out here. We want to get this vehicle. We want to get this driver and find out what happened."
Croom said the driver stopped and then kept going.
"Of course, it was dark, "Croom said. "I think the message is everyone needs to be careful, but the message to the public is we need help finding this vehicle."
Maria Matos, who walks along U.S. 1 for exercise, said she risks walking along the bicycle lanes at night because the sidewalks have other dangers.
"Sometimes if I'm coming from a night out, I get nervous because it's all trees," Matos said. "You never know who's going to jump out at you."
Investigators said they are looking for a dark Jeep Grand Cherokee that is missing its passenger-side mirror.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Fort Pierce police Officer Shayne Stokes at 772-302-4764 or sstokes@fppd.org or Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 800-273-8477.
