PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Police are looking for the driver who struck and killed a man in Philadelphia's Harrowgate neighborhood on Wednesday night.
The victim has been identified as 60-year-old Roberto Velez. He was pronounced dead on the scene. This happened a little after 11 p.m. near 2nd and Westmoreland streets. Chief Inspector Scott Small said it was a gruesome accident.
"The victim was hit with so much force that he came out of both of his sneakers," Small said.
Captain Mark Overwise said it wasn't clear whether he was dragged or thrown by the vehicle.
"When you are struck that hard by a vehicle that big, you will be taken a good bit of distance down the street," he said.
Police are asking for help finding the driver, who they say drove a blue, early-2000s GMC Yukon, with a broken right headlight and other front end damage.
"We're getting information that the driver of the striking vehicle may have exited the vehicle, walked up, looked at the body, and then got back in the vehicle and continued southbound on 2nd Street," Small said.
Family members told police the victim was deaf and nonverbal, and he’s well known in the neighborhood.
The striking vehicle was originally thought to be a white Jeep, but Overwise said they've watched the surveillance video and are certain it wasn't the Jeep that hit Velez, but the blue Yukon.
Police said this is Philadelphia's fifth fatal hit-and-run this year.