Sylva police are searching for the driver who struck and killed a man Sunday before leaving the scene, turning a busy shopping-area crash into an urgent public appeal for information.
James Robert Bagley III died after being hit by a car near 74 Sylva Plaza, according to WYFF 4. The vehicle that hit him drove away, and police said the driver had not been identified as of Tuesday.
According to the N.C. Department of Transportation's North Carolina 2024 Traffic Crash Facts, pedestrian deaths surged by 12 percent. According to the N.C. Department of Transportation's North Carolina 2023 Traffic Crash Facts, the number of pedestrians killed in motor vehicle crashes was down 7.1 percent in 2023.
Police Say Someone May Know Who Was Driving
Sylva Police Chief Aimee Sumner is asking residents to help identify the person responsible. Police have not released a public description of the vehicle or explained whether investigators have located any surveillance footage or other evidence from the area.
“Someone knows something,” Sumner said, according to WYFF 4, underscoring the department’s request for witnesses to come forward. Anyone with information can contact the Sylva Police Department at 828-586-2916 or use the department’s online tip options.
Investigation Remains Open
The case remains under investigation, and no suspect or charges have been announced. Authorities are asking anyone who saw the crash, noticed a damaged vehicle afterward or has other information about the driver to contact police.
