Friends, neighbors mourn North Philadelphia man killed in hit-and-run

NORTH PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) - "It's hard to talk about, like I said I just saw him last night."

Hard to talk about because just hours after Derrick Little stopped to chat with his neighbor across the way -- someone left the man Derrick had nicknamed "Car Wash" bleeding to death on the street.

The victim of a hit and run according to investigators.

His beloved Kawasaki motorcycle lay mangled in the road.

Captain Patrick Kelly with AID said, "It sounds horrific to leave some in the middle of the road after you've struck him."

Police say it was just before 11:30 Tuesday night when a silver 2000 GMC Yukon struck the motorcycle head on along the 4800 block of Whitaker Avenue and kept going.

Police found the SUV 5 blocks away, abandoned, its front end totaled, airbags deployed, and something else…

"We believe the license plate was removed after the fact."

At an afternoon press conference authorities say they are talking to the owner of SUV, but don't believe he or she was driving at the time. Investigators have a different person of interest who they are urging to turn themselves in.

"Come forward and give us their side of the story right now."

Neighbors tell us the victim was outgoing and friendly, running a small car wash from his garage. How he earned that affectionate nickname Derrick mentioned.

"He washes cars so he greets everybody. So nice to everybody.

He was a block away from home when he was hit.

"It's so sad. It happened so suddenly. It's crazy."