Watch CBS News

Family Pleads To Find Fatal Hit & Run Driver In Ft Lauderdale

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) -- It's a road with a speed limit of just 30 miles an hour but residents have said drivers rarely obey that law and last week, it resulted in the death of a man on his bicycle.

Charles Blackledge, 46, was riding his bike home which is just a couple of blocks away when a car slammed into him and left him for dead.

On Sunday, his memory was honored during a candlelight vigil in the very spot where he died last Thursday night.

Blackledge was riding his bike from work. His home was only two blocks away when a car driving along Dixie Highway in Ft. Lauderdale struck him and sent him flying at the corner of N.E. 16th Street.

"One of the neighbors had said they were out and saw the impact and that the car was going so fast that they couldn't see the car," said Tonya McElveen, the victim's sister.

Blackledge's heartbroken family flew in from Arkansas to take care of things. Meanwhile, many of the other mourners live in homes along Dixie Highway. Some ran out to help as Blackledge as he lay on the street dying. The car that hit him was already long gone.

"Charles Blackledge is one victim too many," said Laura Croscenco, who lives across the street, just yards from where he was hit.

Residents said the stretch of Dixie Highway has been dangerous and deadly long enough with drivers going way above the posted speed limit.

"He could be any of us. This is one victim too many. Enough. The City of Ft. Lauderdale is supposed to wake up and do something about it," Laura said.

Blackledge's sister had a message to the hit-and-run driver who has not been found.

"You know you hit somebody. You can't get by with it and if not, maybe somebody who knows can tell on him to where they are and at least pay the price for taking a life."

The City of Ft. Lauderdale has a project listed on its website called the "Dixie Highway Complete Streets" with improvements to help make the road safe for cyclists and pedestrians. The plan calls for improvements that include roundabouts, widening the Dixie corridor and a bike path.

Anyone with information about the crash can call Broward Crime Stoppers at (954) 493-TIPS.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.