A 21-year-old driver has been arrested and charged in connection to a hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian early Wednesday morning in Athens-Clarke County.
The crash happened around 3:40 a.m. on West Broad Street near Beech Haven Church. A nearby police officer heard the crash and responded to the scene. A news release from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department says the officer “found an unresponsive pedestrian in the roadway.”
The pedestrian, identified as 34-year-old Michael Kitchen of Madison, was taken to a local hospital, where he died.
The vehicle that hit Kitchen fled the scene, according to police. The driver, Benhur Tesfai of Lilburn, was later located and arrested. Tesfai was charged with DUI, first-degree vehicular homicide, and hit and run.
The investigation into the crash remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call 762-400-7169.
