RICHMOND, Va. – Police have arrested a man in connection to a hit-and-run crash earlier this month that claimed the life of a 62-year-old man.
Lawrence C. Smith, 65, of Chattooga, Tennessee was arrested Thursday night and charged with felony hit and run, expired registration, failure to yield right of way in the January 17 crash outside a Northside club.
Officers were called to the 2300 block of Chamberlayne Avenue outside the Railroad Employee Club for a report of a crash at 10 p.m.
Lawrence C. Smith
Police say Smith’s vehicle collided with another vehicle. That car then hit several parked cars and a pedestrian, identified as Grayland A. Brooks, of the 1400 block of N 30th Street.
Brooks was taken to an area hospital where he later died of his injuries.
Smith fled the scene of the crash.
Anyone with information about the vehicle or crash is urged to call Hit and Run Investigator J. Deboard at 804-646-1709 or rime Stoppers at 804-780-1000 or submit a tip online at http://www.7801000.com. The P3 Tips Crime Stoppers app for smartphones may also be used. All three Crime Stoppers methods of contact are anonymous.
Grayland and Valerie Brooks.
Widow: I ‘wished he had of stayed home’
The victim’s widow, Valerie Brooks, is demanded answers and asked whoever caused the crash to come forward.
“I’m not looking for forgiveness. I want him or her to come forward or somebody to find out something,” Valerie said. “It’s not my job to forgive them.”
Valerie said her husband, who was a member of the Railroad Employee Club, had been battling lung cancer.
“I’m very angry because he was sick… He was feeling a little bit better and I think that’s why he did go out last night,” Valerie said. “I kind of just wished he had of stayed home.”
