What to Know
- Reilyn Viñas' family is at a loss for words -- confused as to how Viñas ended up lying on the Henry Hudson Parkway before being struck by a hit-and-run driver.
- The details around the mystery are murky. Police say they found Viñas unconscious in the Henry Hudson Parkway near 181st Street Thursday night around 9 p.m. A witness says most neighbors on Riverside Drive thought someone had jumped from the George Washington Bridge.
- The victim was found with severe trauma to the body. A closer look from investigators revealed that Viñas was already lying on the road before being struck by a car. The driver did not stop at the scene.
Reilyn Viñas' family is at a loss for words -- confused as to how Viñas ended up lying on the Henry Hudson Parkway before being struck by a hit-and-run driver.
Darlin Viñas wants to know exactly what happened to his older brother and why the driver that struck him did not stop for his aid.
"I want justice," Darlin said.
The details around the mystery are murky. Police say they found Viñas unconscious in the Henry Hudson Parkway near 181st Street Thursday night around 9 p.m. A witness says most neighbors on Riverside Drive thought someone had jumped from the George Washington Bridge.
"I assumed someone threw themselves and landed in the water, but when I texted my brother back, he says, “No, he’s here on the highway… I’m looking at the body right now," witness Catherine Vazquez said.
The victim was found with severe trauma to the body. A closer look from investigators revealed that Viñas was already lying on the road before being struck by a car. The driver did not stop at the scene.
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"The police were asking the few people observing if they had seen anything," Vazquez said. "They were canvassing the area to see if someone saw anything."
Darlin described in Spanish the moment when his grandmother found out about the tragedy last night -- after police showed up at their door with Viñas' Dominican passport.
Viñas had been living in the city for the past seven years, doing home maintenance work and taking care of his grandmother.
"He was working in New York," Darlin said. "My brother was good."
Viñas’ mother received the fateful call after midnight in the Dominican Republic. Viñas helped her financially -- sending money back home on a monthly basis. He now leaves behind a 7-year-old son and a big mystery regarding his demise.
The victim’s brother also told NBC 4 New York that Viñas was saving money to visit his son for the first time in years back in the Dominican Republic.
"From the outside, it looks like someone jumped off," Vazquez said. "But if they are calling it a mystery crime, then some suspicious stuff may be going on."
