Mom of 21-year-old killed in Visalia hit-and-run speaks out

VISALIA, Calif. (KFSN) -- Two days after being involved in a hit-and-run crash that left him with critical injuries, a 21-year-old Visalia man died Thursday.

Anthony Todd's family is beginning the process of trying to comprehend how this could have happened. His mother Melody says she saw her son two hours before the crash. He was home helping her with a Pinterest project.

"He was helping me put up the canopy and he said, 'Mom, I'll be back, I'll be back," and I said okay," she said. "And then he left and then we go the phone call."

Around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, police say the 21-year-old, who was walking to meet up with his cousin, crossed Ben Maddox at the intersection of Walnut when he was struck by a 1995 Chevy pickup truck driven by 18-year-old Nathaniel Aleman.

"The driver fled the scene and was followed a few blocks away by witnesses who pointed him out to officers," Sgt. Damon Maurice with the Visalia Police Department said. "Officers were able to find the driver and arrested him for felony hit-and-run. He was booked into jail that night."

Police say they were told Todd was walking in the crosswalk when he was hit. They're still investigating if he had the walk sign, who was at fault, and what caused the crash, but they don't believe alcohol or drugs were a factor.

Aleman has since bailed out of jail. Melody says she also sympathizes with his family while trying to stay strong for her family.

"We know they're hurting just as much as we're hurting," she said. "And no hard feelings you know, like he's going to do time for what he did, for hit-and-run, and that's something that's on him you know. But other than that, there are no hard feelings for the family. We're really sorry they're experiencing it too like we are."

After the crash, Todd was rushed to Kaweah Delta with severe head injuries and then flown to Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno where he died Thursday afternoon.

"It was packed at the hospital, wanting to see him," Melody said. "Friends stayed the night at the hospital."

Melody says everyone loved Anthony, who was also known as Antoine and Timber. She says he loved to write stories and draw animated characters.

Those drawings will be on full display during an upcoming celebration of his life.