Wyandanch hit and run leaves young grandmother dead

WYANDANCH (WABC) -- Police on Long Island are investigating a deadly hit and run that left a pedestrian dead Monday night.

Eyewitness News has obtained this exclusive cell phone video which shows police in the moments just after Raina Campbell was hit.

The video shows the ambulance as she is being attended to by EMT's.

The 48-year-old mother of four and grandmother was on her way to the corner store when a car came up behind her and struck her. She had just returned home from a wake.

"My friend April is the one who called the police, because she almost hit her again," friend Irvina Blue said. "She was laying in the middle of the street, so my friend April called the cops and said there's a dead body in the middle of the street."

"Raina was a loving, caring, kind person who would give you anything. If you fell here she would pick you up, she wouldn't have left you in the street like that," said Michael Smith, the victim's boyfriend.

Michael Smith is Campbell's boyfriend of 14 years and lived with her.

He says when he found out what happened he ran to help but it was too late.

She had already been taken away.

"She loved her family, she loved her kids, she loved life, and someone took that from her. And someone took her from me and her family," Smith said.

Campbell was walking on her very own street East Booker Avenue in Wyandanch around 7 p.m. Monday when it happened.

It happened basically right in front of Bobby Arnold's house.

He says he heard a loud thud and ran outside.

"I see the lady on the ground lying in a pool of blood. So I take my jeep and I block off the traffic and cars get zooming by and they didn't even see here lying there," Arnold said.

Campbell's family is begging for whoever did this to her to come forward.

"They just left her in the street to die," said Valerie Baldwin, the victim's cousin.

"Please just come forward so her family can have closure. She has small grand kids. Those kids were her world," said Irvina Blue, the victim's friend.

The vehicle fled toward Straight Path and may have front end damage.

The challenge now for investigators is trying to get a description of the car. Neighbors say the street is very poorly lit, so there's a good chance no one got a good eye on the vehicle.

The investigation is continuing.

Detectives are asking anyone who may have witnessed this crash or has any information about the incident to contact the Vehicular Crime Unit at 631-852-6555 or call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.