Man dies hours after being found by his family following hit-and-run in Port Colborne

A man has died hours after being struck by a vehicle that fled the area in Port Colborne on Saturday.

Niagara Regional Police say emergency services responded to Silver Bay Road shortly after 4:30 a.m. on Sunday (Oct. 6), after the victim’s family found him critically injured in a ditch.

The victim, a 53-year-old Port Colborne resident, had been walking on Silver Bay Road, south of the Friendship Trail when police believe he was struck by a vehicle sometime between 10 p.m. and midnight.

When the man did not return home, his family began searching the area and discovered him near damaged vehicle parts, investigators say.

Despite life-saving efforts, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Niagara Regional Police’s Collision Reconstruction Unit is leading the investigation, with support from forensic services and detectives from the Welland/Pelham district.

Police believe the suspect vehicle is a dark-coloured SUV with significant damage to its front left side, including the headlight and fender. A suspect description is not available at this time.

The area around Silver Bay Road remains closed for further investigation. Drivers are asked to use alternate routes.

Police are urging anyone who may have seen the suspect vehicle or who has relevant dashcam or surveillance footage to contact them at 905-688-4111, option 3, ext. 1009367.