Community Corner

$240K Raised In GoFundMe For Family Of Reston Hit And Run Victim

A GoFundMe campaign started by the sister of a Reston man killed in a hit and run crash has raised more than $240,000 for the man's family.

RESTON, VA — A GoFundMe campaign launched on Friday has already raised more than $240,000 for the family of a Reston man who was killed last Wednesday in a fatal hit-and-run crash.

Andrew Willingham, 37, of Reston, was seriously injured after the car he was driving was struck by an SUV that ran a red light at the intersection of Walnut Branch Road and Fairfax County Parkway, according to police. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue took Willingham to an area hospital for treatment, but he was later pronounced dead there.

"He was somebody who always had the right thing to say. He was always happy. He was always wanting to help and his heart was just so incredibly kind," Willingham's sister, Erin Meleney, told NBC4 on Friday.

Find out what's happening in Restonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Read NBC4's full coverage of Erin Meleney's GoFundMe.

Meleney launched a GoFundMe campaign on Friday, with the goal of raising $300,000 for Willingham's wife, Jeanne, and sons, 4-year-old Benjamin and 2-year-old Rex. As of Tuesday at 3:30 p.m., the campaign had raised $240,853.

Find out what's happening in Restonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Related: Victim In Fatal Hit And Run Identified As Reston Man: Police

Fairfax police are still looking for the driver of the SUV who fled the scene of the crash on foot. Police described the driver as a heavy-set Hispanic man, standing 5-foot-6 to 6-feet in height, with a beard and shaggy hair. At the time of the crash, he was wearing a black short-sleeve shirt over a white undershirt.

Police ask anyone with information about this crash to contact the Crash Reconstruction Unit at 703-280-0543. Anonymous tips may be submitted via Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477), by texting "FCCS" plus tip to 847411, on by going online. Those who submit an anonymous tip are eligible for cash rewards of up to $1,000, provided the information leads to an arrest. Police ask anonymous tipsters to leave contact information.

To donate money to help support Andrew Willingham's family, visit Erin Deleney's GoFundMe page.

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