Loved ones of fatal East New York hit-and-run victim remember his legacy
The man was attempting to enter his car when he was struck by another at around 6 a.m.
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Family and coworkers say the victim of a fatal hit-and-run spent more than 20 years driving yellows buses for Total Transportation.
Multiple people in the area tell News 12 that two people - who they say are part of the neighborhood sex work industry - got into a fight nearby, and that one took out a gun.
The other got into their car to get away, and while speeding off, hit the 57-year-old victm near the corner of Wortman and Georgia avenues.
People who knew him say he was just getting out of his car to start a shift.
"It could just be anyone, you know, you come in here, you coming to work..." said James Rice, who worked with him.
Another one of the victim's coworkers, Junior Alex Cetoute said "a man comes to work every day to provide for his family or what not, and you just take his life away? That's crazy."
According to the NYPD, the suspect just kept going and left the scene after hitting the 57-year-old. Both police, and coworkers only learned what happened when it was too late.
Some of his fellow drivers, like Cesar Marshall, saw the aftermath, explaining that "I saw him on the floor - I said what happened to him? I think someone was shot."
Meanwhile others, like Cetoute, said they heard about it later. "I started trembling, my stomach knotted up," he said. "I couldn't even drive this morning, because I was in total shock."
Off-camera, family members said the victim was supposed to have off on Friday but picked up the shift to try to make some extra money. Coworkers said the Canarsie resident did things like that often, with Cetoute describing him as "friendly, kind-hearted, great guy to talk to (and) be around," adding "It's just sickening what happened to him."
The family tells News 12 they plan to host two memorials at the spot he lost his life on Monday, one at 10 a.m. and one at 4 p.m., which are the times his shift usually started and ended.
