Two deadly pedestrian crashes occur 6 hours apart in Fayetteville

A pedestrian was hit and killed Thursday in a crash that shut Bragg Boulevard for several hours. It was the second deadly pedestrian crash in Fayetteville in less than 24 hours.

Around 12:30 a.m., officers with the Fayetteville Police Department responded to a pedestrian crash in the 3000 block of Bragg Boulevard, near the intersection of Fort Bragg Road.

Rex Smith, 59, of Fayetteville, was pronounced dead at the scene.

There were more than a dozen police vehicles on the scene, and traffic was being blocked in the area for hours. Bragg Boulevard reopened by 5 a.m.

"It's considered a hit-and-run still ... regardless if someone is in the roadway," Sgt. Larry Donegain said. "You still have a duty and responsibility of stopping.

"Even if you think you hit a dog or an animal ... you still need to stop to make sure that's what your vehicle collided with."

A witness told WRAL News she believes two cars hit and killed the man walking in the roadway.

She said she heard the first collision, then turned to look and saw the second collision. That’s when she and a couple of other people nearby ran out to the road to stop traffic and dialed 911 for help.

She said neither car stopped or came back to the scene.

Another person is dead after being hit by a car Wednesday night in Fayetteville. According to the Fayetteville Police Department, the crash happened around 6:13 p.m. in the area of Southern Avenue and Quality Road.

Police said a 2008 Dodge Ram driven by Lashawn Abrams truck a female victim who was standing in the center turn lane.

"I guess he was going to be making that left turn and pulled into the turn lane and didn't see the pedestrian," Donegain said. "[He] ended up fatally striking the pedestrian.

Investigators say she was wearing dark clothes at night. They believe it may have contributed to the deadly crash.

Anyone with information regarding either incident is asked to contact Officer C. Lewis at 910-818-1872.