High Point man charged in pedestrian death; accused of texting while driving

April 22--Updated 1:17 p.m.

HIGH POINT -- A High Point man is accused of texting when he fatally hit a person late Thursday night.

Leon Lanear Knowles IV, 41, of 3928 Fountain Grove Drive, is charged with felony hit-and-run, driving while texting, driving while license is revoked and driving a vehicle without liability insurance.

He's accused of driving a Mercedes R320 about 9:50 p.m. Thursday and hitting a 53-year-old pedestrian who was walking at the intersection of Eastchester Drive and Johnson Street, said Capt. Mike Kirk.

"He knew he hit something, based on what he said to us," Kirk said.

He's also accused of texting when he struck the victim, Kirk said. The victim has not been identified pending notification of his family.

Knowles drove off before police arrived, Kirk said.

The Mercedes was found about 3:25 a.m. today leading to Knowles' arrest, police said.

Knowles was jailed with bail set at $60,000 on the fatality charges. He was also served with a warrant for failure to appear on a misdemeanor and given an additional $1,000 bail, according to Guilford County jail records.

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Posted 7:36 a.m.

HIGH POINT -- A man is being questioned in a fatal hit-and-run that occurred late Thursday night.

A man was walking at the intersection of Eastchester Drive and Johnson Street about 10:50 p.m. when he was struck by a Mercedes R320, said Capt. Mike Kirk with High Point police.

The driver fled the scene of the wreck. The victim died from his injuries. His identity is not being released pending notification of his family, Kirk said.

Leon Lanear Knowles IV, 41, of High Point, is being held in connection with that fatal hit-and-run, Kirk said. The vehicle was found at 3928 Fountain Grove Drive. It was not immediately clear if Knowles lived there.

Kirk said charges are pending against Knowles.

Contact Sarah Newell Williamson at (336) 373-7076, and follow @snewell_NR on Twitter.

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