Sound of hit-and-run that killed Farida Abdurahman still haunts neighbour, as man charged heads to court - Action News
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Sound of hit-and-run that killed Farida Abdurahman still haunts neighbour, as man charged heads to court

A Calgary woman is still haunted by the sound of a hit-and-run that killed 33-year-old Farida Abdurahman, as the man charged heads to court on Monday.

Robert Mark Varley, 58 at the time, was charged in the incident

Farida Abdurahman, 33, was killed after a car struck her at the intersection of Centre Street North near 43rd Avenue in Calgary. (Submitted/Colleen Underwood/CBC)

A Calgary woman is still haunted by the sound of a hit-and-run that killed 33-year-old Farida Abdurahman, as the man charged heads to court on Monday.

A silver Buick Regal struck Abdurahman as she crossed Centre Street N near 43rd Avenue at about 11:15 p.m. on July 27, 2015.

She died in hospital.

Police found the damaged car hours later a few blocks away.

Robert MarkVarley, who was 58 at the time, was charged in the incident.

Still a dangerous intersection

Crossing lights have since been installed, but neighbours insistit's still a dangerous location.

Sharon MacKenzie said lights mayhave helped save Abdurahman's life, but she's not sure.

"It's not something that everybody still stops for, even in the daytime," MacKenzie told CBC News.

Sharon MacKenzie can't forget the image of Farida Abdurahman after she was struck at an intersection in 2015. (Colleen Underwood/CBC)

She remembers hearing the vehicle strike Abdurahman that night in July but by the time she raced out, the driver was gone.

"It wasn't nice watching her just lay there, that's a sight you just don't forget, not overnight, not in a lifetime."

Timaj Abdurahman lives in Toronto now, but she was living with her younger sister when she was killed.

She says she can't believe the driver would have taken off.

"Weare hurt, you know?" she said."Everybodydrive, no? I'm driving too. How is somebody hit and run? If you hit somebody, you do like to helpfirst," Timaj said, adding with help, maybe her sister would have survived.

Timaj says she and other family members will be in court when Varley's trial starts Monday.

Farida Abdurahman died in 2015 following a hit-and-run at this intersection. (Colleen Underwood/CBC)

With files from CBC's Colleen Underwood