RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond police have arrested the driver they say is responsible for a deadly hit-and-run along Semmes Avenue that killed a 26-year-old woman walking her dog just 3 days into the new year.
Kristen Tolbert was struck and killed along Semmes Avenue just before midnight on January 3rd. Her mother, Karen Romine, had pleaded for the driver to come forward.
"I wonder why they didn't stop, they just kept going," Romine said.
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On Tuesday, Richmond police arrested 35-year-old Kelvin Carr-Russell and charged him with manslaughter, felony hit and run, and reckless driving causing death.
Police Chief Rick Edwards said the night time crash made the case challenging.
"Well anytime there's a hit and run, first and foremost, we want to find the vehicle and collect the evidence from that, so we've had the vehicle for quite some time, we had a person of interest in this case," Edwards told CBS 6's Kelsey Jones who spoke with him during a Command Walk Wednesday evening.
Police found the vehicle nearby shortly after the crash, but Edwards said they didn't have enough evidence to charge anyone initially.
"We found it nearby shortly after that, but we didn't have enough to charge because it's one thing to know where the car is, it's another thing to put a person in the car," Edwards said.
Edwards credited technology like license plate readers and surveillance video from a nearby business that caught the hit-and-run with helping them identify Carr-Russell.
Watch: Community demands Semmes Avenue safety changes after woman killed: 'Such a tragedy'
The arrest comes as pedestrian safety advocates continue pushing for improvements along Semmes Avenue. Pippa Holloway, who lives along Semmes Avenue and is a member of the Semmes Avenue Safety Committee, said more needs to be done to protect pedestrians.
"This has been a brutal year for pedestrian safety," Holloway said.
Holloway says she wants to feel safe walking in her neighborhood.
"We want to be able to walk on our streets, these are our streets, this is our sidewalk, we need to be able to cross our streets in ways that don't mean our lives are at risk," Holloway said.
Edwards said he's been working with Mayor Avula's administration on pedestrian safety improvements.
"l I had a conversation with the director of Public Works Wednesday. We talked about ways we can try and help the infrastructure of our city, improve it so that people don't get hit by a car," Edwards said.
Edwards says those areas include will be south of the river, such as Broad Rock, Hull Street, Walmsley and Semmes — areas Edwards says traditionally don't have sidewalks.
Carr-Russell's preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 2.
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