MELBOURNE, Fla. – A Pennsylvania man was killed in Melbourne on Christmas after he was hit while crossing a road and the driver took off, according to police.
Investigators said they were called to the area of South Harbor City Boulevard and Strawbridge Avenue around 12:18 a.m.
Officers said they found Drew Sofranko, 23, had been hit. The man was rushed to the hospital where he ultimately died.
On Tuesday, News 6 learned that Sofranko, 23, was the best man at his father’s wedding during what was supposed to be the perfect Christmas vacation for his family.
“He gave a great best man speech, probably one of the best I’ve ever heard,” father Doug Sofranko said. “I may be a little bias, but it was tremendous.”
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
In video of his son’s speech, Sofranko called his father his hero.
Doug Sofranko said his son was pursuing a career in the military, like his father.
“Dad, you’ve been my hero and guide, and now, seeing you take this step with such grace and happiness fills my heart with immense joy,” Sofranko said.
Sofranko married Drew’s stepmother, Danell Sofranko, at the beachside Hilton.
The next night on Christmas Eve, the couple said Drew went out downtown but never made it back to their vacation rental as he walked across US-1 and highway 192.
“He was just a great kid,” Danell said. “I’m really going to miss him.”
Sofranko’s father said police told the family the unknown driver was behind the wheel of a white four-door Chevrolet car.
“The assumption is that the person was driving at a high-rate of speed because the physician said that the traumatic injuries would have caused death immediately,” he said.
Two years ago near the same location, police said there was another fatal hit-and-run crash that killed a manager of a Melbourne restaurant.
It took police more than a year to make an arrest after an extensive review of evidence including DNA, fingerprints and hours of surveillance.
Benjamin Moore is charged with the death of Nate Real, who was a manager at the Mansion restaurant.
The Sofranko family is now hoping for justice as well.
“He had a bigger heart than anybody that I’ve ever known,” Sofranko’s stepmother said.
The victim’s father asked for the person responsible to come forward.
“It’s never too late to do the right thing so I would urge them to turn themselves in, give our family some sort of resolution to this horrible tragedy,” Doug Sofranko said.
Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call Melbourne police at 321-616-5033.
The family is also raising money to pay for Sofranko’s funeral through a GoFundMe that can be found here and T-shirt sales that can be located here.
Get today’s headlines in minutes with Your Florida Daily: