Suspected driver in fatal hit-and-run appears in court

Last week, reporter Molly Hudson told you about a hit-and-run that killed an 89-year-old man who was crossing Center St. on his walk to church. Now, just over a week later, Hudson was at the Douglas County Corrections as the suspected driver appeared in front of a judge for the first time.

• 31-year-old Christopher Dunning is charged in the hit-and-run that killed 89-year-old Walter Tighe.
• This hit-and-run is the 34th traffic fatality in Omaha in 2024.
• Christopher Dunning's bond was set at $250,000 and his preliminary hearing is set for November 15.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
31-year-old Christopher Dunning is charged in the hit-and-run that killed 89-year-old Walter Tighe.

Prosecutors telling a judge, he hit the grandfather and then sped off.

"The vehicle did not stop and render aid, it fled at a high rate of speed, jumped a curb according to one witness who was on scene," the prosecutor read.

According to police Dunning called a woman the day of the collision and said he hit 'something' and he was upset he broke the headlight on his truck.

Prosecutors say - this isn't the first time.

"Concerningly, he has a hit-and-run out of California," the prosecutor said.

"I'm confused on why, why someone could just run away, like if you know that you did something and that somebody was hurt, why didn't you at least check, cause I know they heard or felt something," said Kassie Tighe, Walter Tighe’s granddaughter.

Tighe's death, proving the point neighbors have been making for years: they need safer streets.

"I heard the sirens from my house, I live two blocks south of here, and when I walked my son to school, the body was in the road,” Amelia Rosser, owner of Sheelytown Market said.

This hit-and-run is the 34th traffic fatality in Omaha in 2024.

"Just this year alone there has been two pedestrian deaths along this block," Rosser said.

City leaders are working to make our streets safer -- with a goal of eliminating fatalities by 2045. They call the plan vision zero.

"This is a long-term plan, there is always going to be ups and downs, the goal is to have a trajectory that gets us to that goal," said Jeff Sobczyk, Vision Zero coordinator for the City of Omaha.

Short-term safety improvements -- like the installation of pedestrian islands -- are happening now.

But solving the big problem will take time.

"My son is in second grade, um, is he going to ever be able to walk to school by himself," Rosser said.

Christopher Dunning's bond was set at $250,000 and his preliminary hearing is set for November 15.