BANGOR, Maine — The man driving the car that struck and killed a pedestrian Saturday night broke no laws, and therefore he will not be charged, Bangor police Detective Sgt. Dave Bushey said in a Tuesday email.
Roy Parker, 68, who lives on Clinton Street, struck Robert Wallace West, 50, at about 8:35 p.m. Saturday while West was crossing the street in front of the Bahaar Pakistani Restaurant.
“There is no indication that Mr. Parker committed any traffic violations, as a result, no criminal charges are expected,” Bushey said. “On scene witnesses reported that Mr. West was not in a crosswalk as he attempted to cross Hammond Street.”
The names of the victim and driver were withheld for three days pending notification of West’s family.
West died as a result of significant head injuries, Bushey said in a Monday email. Parker remained at the accident scene and was taken for unspecified reasons to Eastern Maine Medical Center after the crash, according to the detective.
The deceased man was homeless and was known by several aliases, including “JR” and “RJ.” He also had a lengthy criminal history that made him a lifetime registrant on the Maine Sex Offender Registry.
In November 2012, West was in the news when he gave Gov. Paul LePage a tour of the Unlimited Solutions Clubhouse on Summer Street in Bangor during a ceremonial opening of the facility designed to help mentally ill area residents find work and transition to employment.
Owners of the restaurant said Saturday night that West was a homeless man they fed regularly on weekend nights as they prepared to close for the evening. Farzana Khan, owner of the 24-year-old Bangor eatery, heard the crash and said she was saddened by the man’s death.
West was a regular at the Hope House, a shelter for those with drug and alcohol addictions, and he often could be seen sitting on a bench outside Mexicali Blues, which is located directly across Hammond Street from the Pakistani restaurant. He was crossing the street in front of the bench with his shopping cart, apparently to get his free meal, when he was struck by Parker.
The shopping cart was knocked over in the street, and the man’s possessions were strewn over the busy roadway.