Ontario Provincial Police are appealing for the driver in a fatal hit-and-run that killed a pedestrian on Hwy. 404 in Richmond Hill to come forward.

A 20-year-old male pedestrian was struck in the northbound lanes of the highway, just north of Major Mackenzie Drive, at about 10:30 p.m. Monday, April 23, OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said.

The vehicle did not remain at the scene.

“We have one 20-year-old man who has passed away, was killed on the scene, hit by a vehicle as he was a pedestrian on the roadway,” Schmidt said.

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“We are appealing for the driver of that vehicle, who did not remain at the scene, to come forward. There was vehicle debris across the highway and we have our investigators following up on that to give us descriptions and more information to help us locate that vehicle. There would be significant damage to the front end and possibly right side of this vehicle.”

The driver likely was unable to avoid hitting the pedestrian, Schmidt said.

“At this point, investigators don’t believe that there is anything that driver could have done to have avoided this collision. It was 10:30 at night, it was dark, although there was some artificial light, and there was likely nothing the driver could have done to have prevented that collision,” he said.

“But what is very important right now is that that person who was driving that vehicle comes forward to speak to investigators, to provide a statement, to help us understand what was going on.”

The victim’s family is searching for answers, he said.

“The family of the deceased have been notified. Obviously, they have many more questions that they need answers for and the driver of this vehicle is crucial in being able to provide some of those answers,” he said.