Candlelight vigil honors death of East Tampa hit-and-run victim, family pleas for arrest

TAMPA, Fla. - Friends and family of Darrell Lawson, 57, gathered at the corner of North 19th Street and East 21st Avenue Thursday night.

Darrell was riding his bicycle around 8:20 p.m. on Tuesday, when a driver hit him and sped off, leaving him to die in the roadway, according to the Tampa Police Department.

RELATED: VIDEO: Car strikes bicyclist in fatal hit-and-run in Tampa

"My husband kept me, and I know that my lord and savior is going to keep on keeping me, and I stand on faith that this person shall be arrested, and I am very confident with TPD with their hard, dedicated work that they’re putting in around the clock, to make this arrest," said Valarie Lawson, Darrell’s wife.

TPD is still searching for who hit and killed Lawson.

She said there needs to be improvements to the neighborhood to make it safer when it is dark outside.

READ: Cyclists concerned as deadly hit-and-runs become trend in Tampa Bay Area

"They need to get out here and do their job, the city of Tampa, put up street lights, put down road blocks, put up speeding signs, we’re not asking for much. All we’re doing is asking y'all to protect our safety and our children’s safety," Lawson shared.