61-year-old pedestrian dead after being hit by allegedly impaired driver: RNC

A 61-year-old man is dead after police say he was struck by an allegedly impaired driver in central St. John's Wednesday morning.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary said in a press release Thursday the 37-year-old driver, a man from Fox Harbour, struck the pedestrian at Freshwater Road and Hamel Street around 10 a.m. NT.

Police said the victim had "significantinjuries" when officers arrived and died shortly after arriving in hospital.

The remains of a street sign and woodenlamp post could be seen in the area the man was hit.

Police say the driver fled the scene but officers found his grey Dodge Ram on George Street an hour later. The RNC says officers found the man "a short distance away" from his truck and believe he was impaired.

RNC spokesperson Const. James Cadigan told CBC News later Thursday that police do not suspect the driver had been drinking, but are testing for other substances.

The suspect was charged with impaired driving causing death, and failure to stop at the scene of a collision.

The RNC is looking for eyewitnesses and video to aid their investigation.

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