A pedestrian who was struck by a hit-and-run driver on the Cedar Springs strip last week has died.
Lauren Graham, a spokeswoman for Parkland hospital, confirmed this morning that Wayne Priest, 55, passed away sometime after being taken there Thursday night in critical condition.
Priest was walking eastbound crossing Cedar Springs at about 9 p.m. Thursday near the unlit crosswalk at 3850 Cedar Springs Road, at the intersection of eastbound Reagan Street, according to police. He was struck by a maroon four-door vehicle traveling southbound on Cedar Springs, police said. The driver of the vehicle failed to stop after the collision.
Sr. Cpl. Sherri Jeffrey, a spokeswoman for the Dallas Police Department, said this morning that investigators have been unable to track down the vehicle or identify the driver. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call DPD’s Vehicle Crimes Unit at 214-670-5817.
According to a report Friday night by Fox 4’s Peter Daut, which aired prior to the news that Priest had died, his roommates said he was on his way to Walgreens to pick up a prescription:
John Bonsignore owns a store on Cedar Springs Road just a few feet from where the hit-and-run happened. He said he’s seen several close encounters involving cars and pedestrians on the busy street, especially at night.
“It is dangerous because people are trying to get across the street and the cars are trying to get to where they’re going, and they don’t want to give much leeway to pedestrians,” Bonsignore said.
Less than a block away another lighted crosswalk urges drivers to be careful. Pedestrians wonder why the crosswalk that Priest used does not look the same.
“Maybe an intersection with a light right here, or maybe more officers in the area that keep an eye on that kind of thing,” said Trey Doughty.
Friends of Priest said he liked to go for walks and used the crosswalk at Reagan Street regularly. They now hope the driver who hit him has the decency to come forward.
“They didn’t even call a hospital or anything, just disregard for life really is what it is,” said Erick Deaver, another of Priest’s roommates.
Watch video below.
Has anyone suggested having cameras installed at the crosswalks? It may not prevent an accident, but it can help to apprehend hit and run drivers.
I am with Lil Carl on the cameras…
How can you hit someone and not be a decent enough human being to stop and take responsibility for your actions…
IF ANYONE ON HERE KNEW MY FATHER WOULD YOU PLEASE COMMENT BACK I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HIS ROOM MATES… NOBODY HAS HOUSE PHONES ANYMORE SO YOU CANT TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS
We need more traffic lights. On Cedar Springs and especially on Lemmon.
This area has become so much more congested over the years.
With every other driver too busy talking or texting on a phone to actually pay attention to the street, we’re all at risk.
Jennifer you might contact the Dallas Voice (DallasVoice.com) and they could help you since they wrote the article. I’m sorry to hear what happened to your father! This is a horrible crime! My heart goes out to you!
WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT?
There have got to be multiple cameras all up and down Cedar Springs and surrounding streets that captured this vehicle. They should have many police officers out finding those cameras and checking the video. We had a hit and run in the past two weeks in Palm Springs, and the police found video of the vehicle, and it was on a highway. Why hasn’t the DPD found video of this vehicle???
Also, what is wrong with this major city that would have such a poorly maintained crosswalk in a busy urban area with one of the highest foot traffics in Dallas?
This seems like a clear case of Dallas treating its gays bad.
Jennifer please let me know if you haven’t already found someone to sue the heck out of this city for not marking this crosswalk better! I will help you find someone good!
THEY HAVENT CAUGHT ANYONE YET!!! SO THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO RIGHT NOW!!! I AM STILL WORKING ON GETTING MY DAD BURRIED BECAUSE I DIDNT HAVE THE MONEY!!! SO I AM TRYING TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY!!! THANKS EVERYONE… I DROVE TO DALLAS YESTERDAY AND GOT HIS STUFF FROM THE HOSPITAL AND ITS AMAZING THAT THIS DOSENT HAPPEN MORE OFTEN BECAUSE YALL HAVE PEOPLE WALKING EVERYWHERE…. I PRAY NOBODY ELSE HAS TO EXPERIENCE THIS!!!
Has anyone heard if there is any funeral / memorial arrangements for Wayne?
Has anyone heard if there is any funeral / memorial arrangements for Wayne? Or somewhere to donate?
I am still working on getting everything taken care of…
While driving north down Maple a couple of months ago I was involved in a hit and run right in front of the new Sunshine cleaners. Coincidentally, the car that hit my car was also a maroon 4 door. It was a 2011 Toyota Carolla. The driver sped away and turned right on Knight and another right onto Fairmount made a left at Shelby then another right onto Brown. When the driver got to Oak Lawn he/she darted out into oncoming traffic and continued west on Oak Lawn and got away from me as well as another driver that witnessed the accident. I called the police to report the incident but was told to remain at the location where the accident happened for up to four hours. Discouraged by this I went home.Who is to say if it was actually the same vehicle involved here but I felt that it was enough of a coincidence to at least share what happened to me just in case it IS related. Jennifer, my heart goes out to you. I hope the person that did this is caught soon.
In downtown Dallas, for example on Main Street, and also around SMU, the have these special signs framing the crosswalks that make it clear that cars must stop for pedestrians. They also have speed bumps of slight grade and/or cross grooves (like at toll plazas) to altert cars to slow down.
I think the LGBT community should get together and try to get at least the special signs added to all Cedar Springs crosswalks.
Didn’t the Dallas Mayor and the Police Chief have all these special meetings with the LGBT community during elections or appointment time? Well the elections and appointments are over and it’s high time for them to keep the promises they made to work with the LGBT community that helped them get elected or get appointed to office. Aren’t they both Democrates? If so, can’t the Stonewall Democrates ask for a special meeting with the Mayor to get this situation fixed?
I was actually there that night. I didn’t see it, but I ran out to try to help. I sat next to the man while he layed on the street. He was still conscious, and there was nothing more I could do; the ambulance came fast. I’m sorry to hear he didn’t make it.
I can’t believe the Dallas Police hasn’t done more on this. I know there had to be security footage that would identify the car that did this driving down cedar springs.
Your city is a cesspool of homophobia and police do-nothingness. You should all be ashamed.