PRINCETON, W.Va. — Mercer County authorities are looking for the driver of a pickup truck involved in a fatal hit-and-run early Thursday morning on Oakvale Road not far from the Sheetz convenience store.
Mercer County Sheriff’s Department Captain Steven Sommers said a local man in his early 50s was walking along Oakvale Road at about 12:30 a.m. when he was struck by the truck. The driver didn’t stop. The man died at the scene.
Sommers said from surveillance video, investigators believe they are looking for a Black Ram 1500 pickup, a model somewhere between 2013-2018. He said the truck would have front-end damage, particularly to the front passenger side headlight.
Sommers said they believe the man who was struck was off the road.
“Right now, from the preliminary investigation is the pedestrian was at least on the fog line but outside of the roadway,” he said.
A video from a local business does show investigators some things but not everything they need. Sommers said they weren’t able to make out a license plate.
Investigators are hopeful someone saw something, Sommers said.
“There was a vehicle traveling the opposite direction almost by speed possibly could have seen the truck at the time of the strike or right after it,” Sommers said. “We do we believe there were people on the roadway that could have seen this truck.”
He said the Sheetz near U.S. Route 460 is also busy at that time of the night and maybe someone saw the black truck.
Sommers said they are also checking with area auto body shops. He said additional surveillance video would also help.
“We’re hoping that we can get a better camera view with a better framework or the truck is traveling slower than we can get a better look at it,” Sommers said.