Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit Investigating Possible Valentine’s Day Traffic Homicide

Police in Tuscaloosa are investigating the death of a pedestrian fatally struck by a vehicle on Valentine's Day as a possible traffic homicide, they confirmed Wednesday.

A spokesperson for the Tuscaloosa Police Department said officers responded to calls of a person struck by a vehicle on Friday evening, but the circumstances of the fatality saw TPD pass the case to the multi-agency Violent Crimes Unit for further investigation.

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Captain Marty Sellers, the co-commander of the VCU, told the Thread on Wednesday that the victim, a young man, was struck near the intersection of East Skyland Boulevard and Hargrove Road near the Walmart Neighborhood Market there.

Sellers said the VCU is continuing to investigate the circumstances of the traffic fatality and did not have more information to share on Wednesday.

In an update, VCU Commander Jack Kennedy said the victim was a 31-year-old man, who was struck by an 18-year-old driver.

Kennedy said witness reports indicate the victim had been standing or walking in the roadway before he was hit, but the driver also allegedly admitted to using a controlled substance before the accident.

At this time, no criminal charges have been filed in the case and Kennedy said the VCU will evaluate whether any are appropriate after the investigation wraps up.

Stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread for additional details as they are made available and more coverage of crime and courts in west Alabama.