A local handyman beloved by residents of Dumfries, Virginia, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver, authorities say.
A Prince William County Park ranger was driving on Route 1 near Graham Park Road in Dumfries Tuesday evening when they spotted Alvin Smith lying in the middle of the road.
The ranger pulled off to the side of the road to check on Smith when a man driving a blue vehicle struck Smith and ran over him. The driver briefly stopped to check for damage, but then drove off.
Smith was taken to a local hospital, where he died.
Smith, 40, went by the nickname “A-1” and was a daily fixture in the Dumfries and Williamstown communities.
Family and friends said he walked or rode his bike to do maintenance work in the area and spent time helping others with yard work, picking up trash and repairing sidewalks.
"Everyone loved him. The kids loved him, you couldn't help but to love him. He was like family to everyone," said Renee Eberhardt, a friend of Smith.
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She urged the hit-and-run driver to come forward.
"That's somebody's son, somebody's father. You just left him there like he was nobody," Eberhardt said. "Have a conscience. Turn yourself in."
Police are investigating why Smith was lying in the road.
Authorities said it’s possible the driver did not know they hit a person.
Smith's friends are hoping the person will come forward.
Police said alcohol appeared to be a factor in the crash.
Anyone with more information can call police at (703) 792-6500.
