Sound of hit-and-run that killed Farida Abdurahman still haunts neighbour, as man charged heads to court
CBC News | Posted: November 20, 2017 1:30 PM | Last Updated: November 20, 2017
Robert Mark Varley, 58 at the time, was charged in the incident
A Calgary woman is still haunted by the sound of a hit-and-run that killed 33-year-old Farida Abdurahman, as the man charged heads to court on Monday.
A silver Buick Regal struck Abdurahman as she crossed Centre Street N near 43rd Avenue at about 11:15 p.m. on July 27, 2015.
She died in hospital.
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Police found the damaged car hours later a few blocks away.
Robert Mark Varley, who was 58 at the time, was charged in the incident.
Still a dangerous intersection
Crossing lights have since been installed, but neighbours insist it's still a dangerous location.
Sharon MacKenzie said lights may have helped save Abdurahman's life, but she's not sure.
"It's not something that everybody still stops for, even in the daytime," MacKenzie told CBC News.
She remembers hearing the vehicle strike Abdurahman that night in July but by the time she raced out, the driver was gone.
"It wasn't nice watching her just lay there, that's a sight you just don't forget, not overnight, not in a lifetime."
Timaj Abdurahman lives in Toronto now, but she was living with her younger sister when she was killed.
She says she can't believe the driver would have taken off.
"We are hurt, you know? " she said. "Everybody drive, no? I'm driving too. How is somebody hit and run? If you hit somebody, you do like to help first," Timaj said, adding with help, maybe her sister would have survived.
Timaj says she and other family members will be in court when Varley's trial starts Monday.