‘I just couldn’t believe it;’ Wife of fatal hit and run crash victim speaks out

DAYTON — It has been more than two months since a man died in a hit and run accident in Northwest Dayton.

>>RELATED: Detectives seeking information on fatal hit-and-run crash in Dayton; Can you help?

The family of Malik Mize continues to hold out hope that police arrest whoever hit him.

Mize lost his life when he hit was hit by a vehicle at the intersection of North Main Street and Hillcrest Avenue.

Two months after his death, his family wants justice.

Rhonda Mize was married to Malik Mize for 20 years but tells NewsCenter 7′s Brandon Lewis they were having marital having issues and heading toward a divorce.

“I wanted out of the marriage but I never in a million years would want this to happen to him,” she said. “You know that was a horrible way to die. Horrible.”

When she found out what happened to Malik, Rhonda broke down and cried.

“I just couldn’t believe it,” she told Lewis. “I just, just couldn’t believe it.”

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A car hit Malik Mize as he crossed North Main Street at Hillcrest Avenue the night of August 5th, according to Dayton Police. They believe the car kept going northbound on North Main.

The 52-year-old father and husband died from his injuries.

“It’s just very busy and cars are flying up and down the street,” said Rhonda. “It’s really dangerous. It’s a dangerous street.”

She told Lewis a detective stopped by her house in Dayton about a week and a half after Malik died to hand over the shoes he wore and wallet he had from that night. But since then, she said she has not heard anything else from police.

“I hope that whoever did this to him will come forward, so our minds can be at ease and that’s my main thing,” Rhonda said. “I just hope they can find the person who did this.”

Even though the two were not on the best of terms, she says Malik did not deserve this.

“He was a very kind person, a big heart, would help anybody that needed help.”

Back in August, Dayton Police said detectives were looking for a dark colored black S-U-V with possible front-end damage.

When Lewis last spoke with police at the end of September, they told him they are still searching for a suspect.

News Center 7 reached out again to the department this weekend for any updates and are waiting to hear back.

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