North Military Highway Called Dangerous for Pedestrians After Fatal Hit-and-Run [Norfolk, VA]

A new report published June 4, 2026 by WAVY News 10 is drawing attention to the dangerous conditions pedestrians face along the 1000 block of North Military Highway in Norfolk — a stretch of road with no trees, no sidewalk buffers, and no protection for the people who cross it daily. The investigation comes in the wake of a fatal hit-and-run on June 1 that killed an 86-year-old man near the intersection of North Military Highway and Curlew Drive, in an area home to a cluster of low-cost motels where residents on foot depend on crossing this busy highway to access basic necessities.

According to Norfolk Police, officers were called to the 5900 block of Curlew Drive at approximately 10:48 p.m. on June 1 for a report of a suspicious vehicle believed to be involved in a crash. During the investigation, the victim was located in the 100 block of North Military Highway suffering from life-threatening injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Malik Alea-Ngongo, 24, of Norfolk, was taken into custody near the scene and charged with hit and run. He is currently being held in the Norfolk City Jail without bond. Investigators have not yet determined whether speed or alcohol were contributing factors, and the investigation remains active and ongoing.

WAVY’s June 4 investigation describes the 1000 block of North Military Highway as a stretch without the natural barriers — tree lines, fencing, sidewalk setbacks — that provide pedestrian safety in residential neighborhoods. Yet the corridor is heavily used on foot by residents of nearby low-cost motels who have no other means of transportation. The report underscores a longstanding safety concern on this stretch of one of Hampton Roads’ most heavily traveled roadways, where pedestrians are frequently forced to cross multiple lanes of fast-moving traffic with limited infrastructure to protect them.

Cases like this one raise important questions about legal accountability beyond the criminal process. When a driver strikes a pedestrian and flees the scene, Virginia law treats the act of fleeing as a serious criminal offense under the hit-and-run statute — Virginia Code § 46.2-894 — which requires any driver involved in a crash resulting in injury or death to stop, render reasonable assistance, and provide identifying information. Conviction on a felony hit-and-run charge can result in significant prison time and fines.

Independently of any criminal prosecution, the family of a pedestrian killed by a driver may have the right to pursue a wrongful death claim in civil court. These two processes move on separate tracks, and a civil case requires only a preponderance of the evidence — a lower standard than the criminal burden of proof. Virginia’s wrongful death statute allows certain surviving family members to seek compensation for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, loss of companionship, and the grief and suffering caused by the sudden, preventable loss of a loved one.

In cases where dangerous road infrastructure contributes to pedestrian injuries, there may also be questions about the liability of government entities responsible for maintaining safe road conditions. An experienced personal injury attorney can evaluate whether third-party liability applies alongside the at-fault driver’s responsibility.

If your family has lost a loved one in a hit-and-run crash or a pedestrian accident in Norfolk or anywhere in Hampton Roads, Breit Law is ready to stand beside you. With more than 47 years of trial experience, William Breit has fought for the families of crash victims across Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, and all of Hampton Roads — and he will not back down when insurance companies try to minimize what your family deserves. To speak with an experienced Virginia wrongful death attorney, contact us today.

Source: Wavy 

Location of the fatal pedestrian hit-and-run near North Military Highway and Curlew Drive in Norfolk, Virginia.