Questions after deadly New Year's hit-and-run in Minneapolis

The memorial of balloons, flowers and stuffed animals continues to grow outside the Lyndale Avenue home of Aisha Freels. Combined with a Sunday afternoon vigil, the outpouring of support is providing comfort to her large, grieving family.

“It was overwhelming to see all the people out here,” said Francis Tucker, Aisha’s father. “The love she gave out, how it came back to her -- it was really nice.”

Tucker, like many others, still has so many questions following the New Year’s Eve hit-and-run crash that claimed his daughter’s life. The hairstylist and single mother of 4 children was struck by a car and killed as she crossed Lyndale to meet a waiting taxi. One thing Tucker wants to know is why didn’t the cab driver use the parking cut-out right in front of his daughter’s house?

“Me, being in transportation, it’s courtesy that you want to pick up on the side of street that someone is getting on,” he said. “Just due to the fact that you don’t want anyone getting hurt crossing the street.”

Tucker also claims the street light on the block had been out for some time, making it more difficult for motorists to see a pedestrian. Over the weekend, Minneapolis police arrested the alleged hit-and-run driver, who is sitting in the Hennepin County jail awaiting possible criminal vehicular homicide charges.

Even in losing his daughter, Tucker said he is inclined to forgive.

“I try to put myself in other people’s shoes…and I can understand why she took off,” he said.

The taxi company had no comment Monday. As for the street light, Xcel Energy said it has no record of any outages in that stretch of Lyndale Avenue.

By law, prosecutors have until noon Tuesday to charge the driver.