Anas’jah Sharnae Leak Killed in Raleigh Hit-and-Run Accident
Tyrone Jamaal Jackson charged with felony hit-and-run after fleeing the scene on Capital Boulevard
Anas’jah Sharnae Leak, 25, of Raleigh, was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Capital Boulevard near Durant Road early Saturday, according to the Raleigh Police Department.
Paramedics arrived at the scene just after 3:30 a.m. and attempted life-saving measures, but Leak died from her injuries. Officers then arrested 35-year-old Tyrone Jamaal Jackson of Morrisville, charging him with felony hit-and-run and misdemeanor death by motor vehicle. Investigators determined Leak was walking with another person near the road's shoulder when an outbound 2016 Dodge Challenger traveling in the far right lane struck her. The driver fled the scene without stopping.
A Wake Forest Police Department officer later spotted the Dodge Challenger traveling on Dr. Calvin Jones Highway and initiated a traffic stop based on visible vehicle damage and an expired registration.
Raleigh officers responded to the location and confirmed it was the suspect vehicle.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2,758 people died in U.S. traffic crashes involving hit-and-run drivers in 2024.
While the criminal justice system focuses on penalizing the driver who fled, parallel civil investigations are often necessary to secure justice for the victim's estate.
Candice Bond, managing partner at Bond Legal, said, "Surveillance footage often holds the key to identifying a driver responsible for fleeing after a serious collision, yet many businesses only keep recordings for a short window of time. Waiting even a few days can mean losing footage forever without any warning whatsoever."
"Legal counsel frequently moves quickly to request and preserve nearby camera recordings before deletion erases crucial proof," added Bond, who is also a national legal analyst for Accident News.
How does a criminal arrest impact a civil case?
The arrest of a suspect provides a important foundation for a family seeking accountability. However, criminal charges and civil claims operate independently. While prosecutors pursue felony hit-and-run convictions, a family's legal counsel can simultaneously build a wrongful death claim against the at-fault driver's insurance policy.
When analyzing hit-and-run incident patterns, legal practitioners emphasize that fleeing a scene often points to other underlying violations, such as impairment or distracted driving.
North Carolina wrongful death statute
Under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 28A-18-2, surviving family members may file a wrongful death action. North Carolina applies contributory negligence. The statute of limitations is 2 years.
Recoverable damages may include loss of financial support, loss of services and companionship, funeral expenses, and the estate's losses.
"Drivers who leave fatal crashes often try to repair damaged vehicles quickly to hide physical proof of the impact," said Stefano Formica, of counsel at Bond Legal.
Formica, who is also a national legal analyst for Accident News, noted, "Legal counsel supports surviving families by alerting local auto body shops, analyzing physical evidence, and helping relatives navigate complex insurance policies designed for unsolved hit and run incidents."