CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A St. Albans man was killed in a hit-and-run early Thursday morning, police said.
Carl Epling, 42, of St. Albans was the victim struck from behind while walking along U.S.Route 119.
“He was with his girlfriend and the two of the were walking from out around the Ruthlawn area to her residence in South Charleston,” said Sgt. Randy Sampson.
Sampson said the vehicle had to swerve half-way into the safety lane to reach Epling who was well away from the white line of the road. Epling’s girlfriend, who hasn’t been identified, was not injured, but when police arrived she was emotionally distraught and couldn’t provide investigators many clues on the vehicle.
“It happened so quick and with it being dark, she really didn’t see much of anything at all,” said Sampson. “She thought it might be a dark-colored car, but she wasn’t even certain of that. When we were speaking with her, she was pretty shaken up.”
Police received a report from a motorist who was unaware of the incident that a vehicle with no lights exited U.S. Route 119 at the Davis Creek intersection only moments after the incident around 12:30 a.m. Thursday.
Sampson said police will comb surveillance cameras of many area businesses in hopes one of them might have captured the event.
“It just depends on whether anyone has a camera pointing toward the road and not just focusing on the parking lots and areas they have to secure,” he said.