Pedestrian Killed By Hit-And-Run Driver In Washington
WASHINGTON (KDKA) – One man has been arrested after police say he hit a pedestrian with his truck, left the scene and ran away on foot.
James Burgess, 60, died Sunday morning at the hospital after he was struck by a car and left to die in the middle of Jefferson Avenue in Washington.
"I do a lot of ministry and it never ceases to amaze me the depth that some people will get to," said Burgess' brother Chris.
Burgess' family says he was living in a homeless shelter and had seen his share of troubles.
He was crossing the street when he was hit by a pickup truck. Police say the driver and passenger crashed into a pole and then got out and ran on foot.
"My brother, he maybe wasn't happy with himself," Chris Burgess said. "But – and he had a rough life – but nobody deserves that."
Before he died, Burgess told police he was struck by the pickup truck. Police tracked the license plate number to an oil company in Texas. Eventually, detectives were led to 26-year-old Christopher Quinonez.
"We interviewed a couple of other employees of Mr. Quinonez," Washington Police Lt. Daniel Rush said, "who were able to tell us he had been the driver of the vehicle. He subsequently did give us a statement confirming that fact."
Police say Quinonez, a gas company worker from Texas, and his passenger were drinking. They were both remorseful, but said they didn't realize they had hit someone.
"They were only aware of striking a curb and a telephone pole," Rush said. "And both stated had they known, they would have stuck around."
"Unfortunately we're left here to bury him and we don't know how we're going to do it," Chris Burgess said. "We're just here trying to figure it out."
Quinonez is currently in jail on multiple charges. His bond is set at $100,000.
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