A 51-year-old man has been found dead on the roadside in Zejtun in what is thought to be a hit and run.

Police told The Malta Independent that they received a report at around 11:45am that there was a body in a field on Triq Anton Buttigieg in Zejtun, close to a zebra crossing.

The body is that of a man from Zejtun, who was identified later in the day as Antoine Degabriele.

Giving a statement at the scene, Police spokesperson Brandon Pisani said that preliminary indications are that it was a suspected hit and run.

The man was found on the side of the road at 11.45am he said, and a medical team certified him as dead on site.

He said that it was a suspected hit and run and appealed for the driver to turn himself or herself in to the police.

Police investigations as well as a magisterial inquiry are underway to establish the dynamics of this case.

He said that the police will also be using CCTV footage in the area to try and establish exactly where the man who was hit by the vehicle was at the moment of impact and also to identify the vehicle involved 

The road has been closed for traffic while investigations are carried out.

Police said in a statement later that duty magistrate Marsanne Farrugia is leading an inquiry.

In a statement, Doctors for Road Safety (D4RS) noted with great regret "once more" the senseless loss of precious life on our roads. Our deepest condolences to the victim's family in the first instance.

 

D4RS said believes it is high time that public video surveillance is put to better use to prevent such tragedies, rather than solely to analyse the aftermath.

Photo: TVM