OGDEN, Utah -- Police here are looking for the driver of a car who struck a man outside a local homeless shelter and left him to die in the street on Christmas Eve.
Police said the 56-year-old man was crossing Wall Ave. on Monday about 6:45 p.m. outside St. Anne's Center when he was struck by a car. The victim flew about 100 feet, and later died at the hospital, Ogden Police Lt. Chad Ledford told FOX 13.
Ogden Police identified the victim as David Paul Saures.
The driver of the vehicle, witnesses told police, stopped -- then took off, Ledford said.
"The vehicle initially stopped for a brief period of time, which leads us to believe he honestly knew he hit something, or she hit something," he said. "They pulled over to the side of the road, according to witnesses, and then stayed for a brief moment and continued down the road."
Friends Saures' told FOX 13 he was with his girlfriend, who witnessed his death.
Police expressed frustration that the driver did not stop.
"I hope today that their guilt is just eating them alive," Ledford said in an interview with FOX 13. "In all honesty, I hope they're having a terrible Christmas. Because the family of this man, his (girlfriend), they're having a terrible Christmas. They don't have any closure."
Police said they did not have much of a description of the vehicle -- a dark colored, four door sedan that would have front end and windshield damage. The car would be missing a windshield wiper, investigators said.
Ledford said given the time of night and weather conditions, it may have been a simple accident unless there were other factors, such as driving under the influence.
At St. Anne's Center, people staying there and staffers alike mourned the death of the man, who had been there off and on. They described Saures as a sensitive soul who would eagerly help out around the shelter.
"He said grace yesterday morning at breakfast at the Salvation Army," said one woman.
They were shocked that someone would leave the man to die in the street.
"I think it's the most vile thing that someone could just do that and not have the common courtesy to get out and see if he's OK, to not help him," said Haunani Brown, a shelter worker.
Anyone with information on the crime is urged to call the Ogden Police Department at 801-629-8221.
