Elderly woman killed in hit and run while packing supplies for Puerto Rico

WAKEFIELD, Bronx (WABC) -- Police have arrested a man in connection with a hit-and-run crash that killed an elderly woman in the Bronx on Friday night.

50-year-old Alcyto Powell was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and failure to report an accident.

The crash happened just after 9 p.m. in the Wakefield section. 82-year-old Hilda Arocho was packing clothes and supplies for family members in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico when she was struck by a white Dodge cargo van on Pitman Avenue, just steps away from her home.

Instead of calling for help, the driver ran away on foot.

Arocho later passed away from her injuries at a nearby hospital.

Neighbors say people routinely speed up and down the street where Arocho was hit, and more needs to be done to keep people safe.