Police Look For Driver Involved In Downtown Raleigh Hit-And-Run

Police say Martina Gonzales, 47, of Willow Springs was on her way to work at the Department of Labor when she was struck by a vehicle while crossing at the corner of Wilmington and Edenton streets at about 6:15 a.m.

A school bus driver saw Gonzales in the road and called police.

"As I was approaching, the car in front of me swerved around, and I saw this debris in the road. It wasn't until I went around it that I realized it was a person lying in the road and she was just yelling 'Help me, help me, help me,'" Betty Donaghy said. "It wasn't until I got alongside of her that I realized it was a person and she was conscious."

If Donaghy did not stop and flash her school bus lights, it is possible that Gonzales could have been struck again.

"It's just the thought it happened and [the cars] kept on going," Donaghy said.

Gonzales works to ensure the health and safety of migrant workers. She is known for her bilingual abilities and much more.

"She is very clever and she is very smart and she is a fun person to be around," supervisor Allen McNeely said. "The Department of Labor is a rather small department in the state and we've pulled together as a family on things like this."

Gonzales is being treated at WakeMed.

Authorities do not have a description of the vehicle that struck Gonzales. Anyone with information is asked to call Raleigh police at (919) 890-3555.

Wilmington and Edenton streets were closed for about two hours as police investigated the accident.