A pedestrian who was killed in a hit-and-run crash on East Speedway Thursday night was identified as Nelson Begay Six, police said.Β
The crash occurred at East Speedway and North Arcadia Avenue shortly before 8 p.m., said Sgt. Pete Dugan, a Tucson Police Department spokesman.
Officers and Tucson Fire paramedics responded to the scene and found Six in the road. Paramedics transported Six to Banner-University Medical Center Tucson where he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival, said Dugan. Β
During the investigation, traffic detectives identified Alexander Newton, 26, as the driver of a dark colored Audi that left the scene, said Dugan Friday night. Newton was arrested and booked into the Pima County jail on suspicion of failure to remain at a collision causing a fatality. The charge is a felony, said Dugan.
Newton called police Friday morning and reported that his car was stolen. A short time later, a woman noticed an Audi with front-end and windshield damage parked in her neighborhood and reported it to police after learning about the incident in the news, said Dugan.
Detectives connected the vehicle to the hit-and-run crash and determined that Newton was driving the vehicle at the time of the crash, Dugan said.
Investigators do not know at this time if speed or impairments were a factor in the crash, said Dugan.
He said detectives learned Six was walking south across Speedway at Arcadia in an unmarked crosswalk area. He was struck in the curb lane of eastbound traffic.
The west portion of the intersection has a painted crosswalk and is equipped with a light for pedestrians, said Dugan.
Since Jan. 1, there have been two traffic fatalities in the city, the same number at this time last year, according to police data.
