‘I am heartbroken.’ Charlotte wrecks kill driver, pedestrian within hours, police say.
Police on Friday announced the arrest of a juvenile in Thursday’s fatal wreck at a prominent south Charlotte intersection, and said the search continues for a driver in a hit and run.
According to police, 22-year-old Anthony Toineeta died after the juvenile hit his motorcycle at the intersection of Providence Road and Raintree Lane just after 7 p.m. Medic pronounced Toineeta dead at the scene.
The juvenile, driving a Mazda3 Touring car, failed to yield the right of way while turning left from Raintree Lane onto northbound Providence Road. The driver “pulled into the path” of Toineeta, who was southbound on Providence Road, according to a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department news release.
Police charged the juvenile with misdemeanor death by vehicle and cited the driver for failure to yield the right of way. Police didn’t release the driver’s age.
“I am heartbroken,” Principal Chief Richard Sneed of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians posted Friday on Facebook with a photograph of Toineeta competing in a wrestling event, his arms raised in victory.
“Anthony was a student of mine and he was one of the hardest working students I ever had the honor of teaching,” Sneed posted. “He always had a funny story to tell and he would make me laugh so hard sometimes it hurt.
“Our tribe has lost a champion,” Sneed said. “My thoughts and prayers are with Bruce and Sunshine and the entire Toineeta family.”
At 11:55 p.m. Thursday, police responding to reports of a collision between a car and a pedestrian found 32-year-old Ronnie Bernard Little Jr. lying near the intersection of North Tryon Street and Tom Hunter Road. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to CMPD.
Police are asking for the public’s help in finding the driver of a gray, 2010 Ford F150 pickup truck who was speeding when the driver hit Little.
CMPD urged witnesses and anyone else with information about the the hit and run to call CMPD Detective Matthew Pressley at 704-432-2169, extension 2, or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.
This story was originally published August 6, 2021 at 5:33 PM.