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Man Charged With Hitting Pedestrian In Beaver Falls Waives Hearing

BEAVER, Pa. (KDKA) -- A man charged in a hit and run in Beaver County appeared in court Friday, but waived his right to a preliminary hearing.

His attorney says he wanted to spare the victim's family.

According to an eyewitness, the driver of a SUV in Beaver Falls on Seventh Avenue jumped the curb and traveled along the sidewalk where the vehicle hit a tree, a parking meter and a pedestrian, and never stopped. That was back on April 17 around 6:30 p.m.

Anthony Palmer says as soon as he heard the crash he jumped and started running toward the scene.

Anthony Darwin, 34, was behind the wheel.

The victim, 22-year-old Dakotah Boniphant, was left lying on the sidewalk with a severe head injury.

"Dragged the guy about 20 feet down the sidewalk," said Palmer. "He had a big gash on the back of his head. I took my shirt off to stop the bleeding."

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"Mr. Darwin wants the young man to have a speedy recovery," said defense attorney Blaine Jones. "We did not have a hearing today, which is Mr. Darwin's right because Mr. Darwin did not want to put the family through the pain of reliving what happened."

A teenager who was supposed to testify had there been a preliminary hearing was a passenger in the car with Darwin that night. He told police earlier he thought Darwin, who is from Pittsburghm, got lost in Beaver Falls and appeared to be falling asleep.

Darwin is at the Beaver County Jail on a $75,000 straight bond.

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