Convicted drunk driver charged in fatal hit and run

A 25-year-old man charged after a fatal hit-and-run crash early Monday morning has been convicted of drinking and driving offences twice in the past.

• Family mourns man hit by car, driver turns himself in

Moises Morales, 26, was hit and dragged by a car on Centre Street near 40th Avenue north at around 4 a.m. MT.

He wastaken to hospital inlife-threatening condition but later died from his injuries, police said.

DilanUrsanhas been chargedwith hit and run causing death andpolice say more charges are pending.

Police sayUrsanleft the scenebut returned with his girlfriend and a friend more than four hours later to turn himself in.

"The remorse side of it ...was moredue to the fact that our partners in the press put out the information against him and he realized that essentially the heat was on," saidSgt. Colin Foster.

"We were after him, [the press] was after him,the community was after him and I think he realized he better come forward."

Admitted to drinking, say police

Although Ursanadmitted to drinking, police say alcohol-related charges can't be laidbecause of the time gap.

"Because we had that four-and-a-half hour gap from the collision until we actually hadhands on with him, it would be exceptionally difficult to prove or disprove what he had to drink," said Foster.

"And we have to be realistic about what we can charge."

Ursanis currently not in custody but is expectedback in court on Friday.

He pleaded guiltyinMarch andMay of 2008 for driving over the legal alcohol limit. Both convictions resulted in fines and a suspension of his licence.

Police are also looking for a witness who may have been a passenger in Ursan's vehicle at the time of the crash. Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Calgary Crime Stoppers.

3 pedestrians killed so far in 2014

Morales' death comes after twoother pedestrianswere hit last week andan elderly man was struck in Bowness inmid-January.

Neighbours near the latest crash site say it's a particularly bad stretchone where pedestrians have been hit before.

"Ithink at least getting the lines painted on the street and obviously putting up a crosswalk sign would be advantageous," said area residentKevin Bentley.

Morales'family visitedthe street where he died Monday.

"It's so difficult to believe that he died, was killed," said his father Harold Chavarria. "We needed to come and see....We needed to see how he was killed."

But police saypedestrian collisions have been on the rise since 2011.

With threedeaths sofar in2014, the city hasalready seen almost half of the nine pedestrian fatalities that took placelast year.