Driver released after turning self in following deadly hit-and-run in South Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A 74-year-old man was struck and killed in a hit-and-run crash late Saturday in South Philadelphia. The man has been identified by police as John McDermott.

Action News has learned the driver turned himself in and was questioned by police before being released pending further investigation. No charges have been filed yet.

The family of McDermott declined to comment to Action News.

Doorbell camera footage captured the moment McDermott, who had been walking home with groceries, was hit just after 10:30 p.m. on the 1100 block of South 11th Street.

"Terrible. It was a terrible accident," neighbor Mary said.

Neighbors reported hearing the incident from inside their homes.

"I heard this tremendous impact, and it was enough that my two dogs jumped out of their dog bed," said neighbor Joyce Roman.

Police said the driver of a white Ford van lost control and slammed into a parked Chevrolet van, which then struck the victim and a parked Land Rover. The victim became trapped in the wreckage.

The two parked cars were unoccupied.

The owner of both cars, George Sawan, said of the scene, "It was awful."

Residents rushed outside and tried to help, including Michael Borda, who can be seen in the doorbell camera footage running down 11th Street towards the police station on the next block. When he returned, another witness told him the driver had fled.

"So my neighbor said he tried to lift his van, and he tried to pull the body and she told him, 'Stop, stop, just leave it alone. If anything, back the van up.' And that's why when he walked back around, that's what she thought he was gonna do," Borda recalled. "He must have slipped away."

"I can't imagine what it must take to do that," said neighbor Allison Riney. "To get out and actually debate what your course of action is going to be and consciously choose to leave."

Residents said first responders arrived quickly and worked urgently to try and save the man.

"The firefighters were just incredible, how they sprung into action and frantically working," Mary said.

The victim was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

"Whether it's my neighbor or not, it's a person. It's somebody's father or relative," Roman said. "To die in the street like that, I can't imagine the horror."

Neighbors of the victim, who lived at a senior affordable housing complex on Broad Street, were shocked to hear the news.

"You don't expect that happening to anybody you know," Barry Gomolka said. "As far as I know, he wasn't really close to a lot of people, but everybody knew who he was, everybody said hello when you see him on his way."

The incident remains under investigation by the Philadelphia Police's Crash Investigation Division.

Charges against the driver are pending.