By james art 
WINSTON-SALEM (WGHP) — A community was left speechless after learning a friend they saw every day had been hit and killed by a car.
The Winston-Salem Police Department is investigating the fatal hit-and-run that claimed the life of 49-year-old Dedrick Gaston on Wednesday around 10:40 p.m.
“He had people here who loved him and cared about him and I did,” said Kenyada Rayford, a Speedway employee.
She is speechless about how Rayford feels after finding out that one of her regular customers, her name is Bud, has been murdered.
When a neighbor walked in the door, she just found out that Bud had died.
“There were tears in his eyes. and I said, ‘Please don’t tell me … Bud,'” Rayford said.
She couldn’t even tell you his little name, but his impact, her aura in her words, made him feel like family.
“Just to know that somebody literally on Christmas Day went out there, hit this guy and didn’t even want to stop and see if he was OK … He could have been saved,” Rayford said.
She hopes for justice and prays it won’t happen again.
There is currently no information on the vehicle involved.
Anyone with information or footage that may lead to more information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (336) 272-2800.
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