Police have been searching for information after a pedestrian was hit and killed while walking to church.
The incident happened around 7:45 a.m. Saturday in the 3100 block of Hamilton Church Road.
Officials said 55-year-old Ayda Abdelsayed was crossing the road, headed toward St. Pishoy Catholic Orthodox Church, when she was hit by a small black car with a Tennessee license plate.
Reports stated the car briefly stopped before driving away.
"We got called, she lost her life," fellow church member Angel Eskander, said.
According to Eskander, "Miss Ayda" was a sweet, quiet, happy woman, and she usually walked with her grandchildren to the church. "In 2 years, she's always taken the grandchildren with her, but this day, she didn't take them and went by herself to church."
Abdelsayed was not in a crosswalk when she was hit, and those who live nearby said that the roads are dangerous due to the high speeds cars travel.
I'm terrified to walk over here," Donna Drennon said. "I live on a residential street where they drive at least 60 miles per hour."
Drennon went on to explain how that reckless driving impacts the area. "There's a wreck at Hamilton Church and Murfreesboro Road every single day. Every Day. There's at least one wreck."
Church members and neighbors said they hope that the roads will be made safer by the city in addition to drivers themselves taking other people's lives into account and slowing down on the roads.
Anyone with information has been urged to contact the Emergency Communications Center at 615-862-8600, Hit & Run investigators at 615-862-7713, or Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463.
