Ryan Zadrozny Obituary, Death; – Ryan Zadrozny, a graduate of Westfield High School in 2020, tragically lost his life in a hit-and-run incident in North Carolina on Sunday.
At approximately 2:12 a.m. on December 1, officers from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle in the 300 block of West Morehead Street. Upon arrival, they discovered an unresponsive individual, later identified as the 23-year-old Zadrozny, lying in the roadway.
Initial investigations revealed that Zadrozny and two other pedestrians were crossing West Morehead Street within a designated crosswalk when a Mercedes Benz, driven by 40-year-old Mache Ulysses Darby, approached at a high speed from the southeast. The vehicle struck Zadrozny, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Darby did not stop and fled the scene in the Mercedes Benz. The two other pedestrians accompanying Zadrozny were unharmed.
Officers from the Central Division located the Mercedes a few blocks away from the incident. When they attempted to stop the vehicle, Darby fled, leading to a brief pursuit that ended in a crash, according to police reports. Darby was apprehended, and emergency medical services transported him to the hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
It was determined that Darby was impaired at the time of the incident. Police indicated that excessive speed and impaired driving were significant factors contributing to the collision. Darby faces multiple charges, including felony death by vehicle, felony hit and run, felony fleeing to elude, and reckless driving.
As reported by wbtv.com, Darby had previously been charged in a fatal hit-and-run incident in 2011, which also resulted in the death of a pedestrian, and he fled that scene as well. He was charged with felony hit-and-run, driving with a revoked license, and possession of marijuana, ultimately receiving a suspended sentence for the hit-and-run conviction.
Authorities are urging anyone who witnessed the December 1 crash or has relevant information to contact Detective Mercedes at 704-432-2169 Ext# 5 or Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600. Additional information can be submitted through the Crime Stoppers website at charlottecrimestoppers.com.
