Hit-and-run death on a dead-end dirt road leaves community rattled, Florida cops say

A fatal hit-and-run takes on a different hue when it involves a senior citizen walking on a dead-end dirt road in the middle of the day, according to investigators in the Florida Panhandle.

It can almost feel intentional, if not personal, the Walton County Sheriff’s Office suggested in a Nov. 18 news release.

Charles “Lucky” Sydenstricker “took his last breath” around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 17, as he lay on Andy Nowling Road near DeFuniak Springs, the sheriff’s office said.

“The 74-year-old was surrounded, not by his family in the comfort of his own home as he should have been, but by the good Samaritan who found him and the first responders who rushed to the scene where someone left Lucky to die,” the sheriff’s office says.

“When deputies arrived, Lucky was still fighting, trying to survive. But, he couldn’t tell deputies who the person was that left him for dead in the middle of that road. Walton County Fire Rescue crews tried life-saving measures, but Lucky passed away at the scene.”

The driver has yet to come forward and there is no vehicle description, the sheriff’s office says. The Florida State Highway Patrol is investigating, with the sheriff’s office assisting.

It is suspected the driver is “someone who frequents the road.” However, FLOCK cameras on a nearby highway have proven of little use, due to the high amount of traffic at the time, the sheriff’s office said.

Maps show there are 30 to 40 homes along the two-lane road, just outside the DeFuniak Springs city limits.

“The incident has left the community in shock, with many struggling to understand how anyone could leave a man alone to die on his own street,” the sheriff’s office wrote.

“Did someone intend to hit Lucky? Was it an accident? Were there unknown circumstances? His family deserves an answer.”

A plea for tips was posted Nov. 18 on Facebook and it racked up 1,100 reactions and comments within 24 hours — some angry and others heartbroken.

“Lucky was a good man. He has helped me before when I needed it. He was a kind soul,” Justine Muller wrote.

“Hope you catch the savage, who left a man to die,” T.D. Boswell posted.

“For the love of God, to (the) person who has done this ... please turn yourself in,” Carolyn Hill said.

DeFuniak Springs is about an 80-mile drive northeast from Pensacola.

This story was originally published November 19, 2024 at 7:53 AM.