Pedestrian struck last month on Bragg Boulevard had been driving moments before his death
A Fayetteville man struck by a vehicle last month on Bragg Boulevard had either fallen or jumped from a moving vehicle moments before he was killed, an arrest warrant said.
Rex Smith, 59, died in the accident reported around 12:30 a.m. Jan. 11. Cierra Amionna Holliday, 30, was arrested the following day and charged with felony hit-and-run causing death, misdemeanor death by vehicle, operating a vehicle without insurance, failure to reduce speed, expire registration and driving with a revoked license, arrest records show.
According to the arrest warrant, Smith was driving a Ford Flex north near Cain Road when he "exited the vehicle" as it was in motion. The female passenger of the Ford Flex told police she jumped into the driver's seat and left the scene, the record states.
Related: Two pedestrians killed six hours apart in separate wrecks in Fayetteville
Police allege that Holliday was driving a Dodge Charger immediately behind the Ford when she struck Smith, leaving behind a tire splash guard and other vehicle parts before fleeing the scene.
Multiple 911 callers reported other vehicles also hit the body as it lay on the road.
“The person is dead, but the traffic keeps coming," the first caller to 911 told a dispatcher. "I’m trying to stop the traffic right now because he keeps getting ran over.”
Other callers reported they were using their vehicles to block the body.
“I got my blinkers on. Nobody can get around me. I’m blocking everything,” another caller said.
Fayetteville police officers arrived at the scene within three minutes of the first 911 call, according to the dispatch log.
License plate, vehicle parts led police to suspect
According to the arrest warrant, vehicle part numbers from pieces left at the scene coupled with information from a police license plate reader identified the registered owner of the Dodge Charger as Holliday.
More: Man dies after being shot in the head at a Fayetteville convenience store
The record states that when investigators went to Holliday's home on Candlewood Drive on Jan. 12., she allegedly admitted she was driving the night of the incident but denied hitting anyone.
The Charger was at the home, the record states, and showed front-end damage consistent with a collision and blood spatter on the rear bumper and trunk. Police later discovered the vehicle was also missing a splash guard.
Holliday has since been released from jail on $20,000 bail, according to court records.
Public safety reporter Joseph Pierre can be reached at jpierre@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Pedestrian Rex Smith killed after getting out of vehicle on Bragg Blvd.
