A 93-year-old retired nurse was killed Monday afternoon in a Bronx hit-and-run when a motorcyclist struck her and fled the scene. Leonora Campbell, a great-grandmother of nine, was walking near East 225th Street and White Plains Road in Olinville around 2:30 p.m. when the collision occurred.
Campbell was reportedly on her way to pick up her medications, candy for neighborhood children, and lunch for a young boy who had asked her for food. Her grandson, Rolando Barrett, described his grandmother as a caring and uplifting individual known in the neighborhood as 'Mama' for her nurturing spirit.
Surveillance footage reviewed by her family shows the motorcyclist traveling eastbound on East 225th Street. The footage depicts the bike striking Campbell, causing her to be thrown and roll before the motorcycle reportedly ran over her again and continued. The rider is then seen stopping, observing the scene for about a minute, and then fleeing.
Campbell was transported to Jacobi Medical Center, where she succumbed to her injuries. The driver had not been apprehended as of Tuesday.
Neighbors recalled Campbell's recent conversations about the dangers of reckless scooter and motorcycle riding in the area. Freddy Williams, an 80-year-old neighbor and friend, expressed shock, noting that Campbell had voiced concerns about the possibility of being hit by a bike just before her own fatal accident.
Campbell's grandson's fiancée, Tia Hampton, criticized the incident as an act of recklessness and called for stricter enforcement regarding motorcycle and scooter riders, referring to the act as vehicular homicide.
Campbell, who lived approximately three blocks from the crash site, was described as being independent and mentally sharp.