LEWISTON – An elderly man was hospitalized after being struck by a motor vehicle near here Monday night.

William Rascoe, 79, of 250 Connaritsa Road in Kelford, was crossing NC 11 outside of Lewiston when the car hit him.

&uot;There were people at the scene who witnessed it happen,&uot; said Trooper Godwin of the North Carolina Highway Patrol, who investigated the accident.

He continued, &uot;They had a flat tire and were pulled off the side of the road changing it. The man (victim) came walking from across the road and stood there talking to the people changing the tire for 15-20 minutes.&uot;

Godwin also said that according to the witnesses, Rascoe said he lived across the road and was out looking for his daughter who had left the house walking due to family problems.

&uot;However, there was no one to be found in the area and we don’t know if his (Rascoe’s) mind is right,&uot; Godwin stated.

It was after Rascoe finished the conversation with the witnesses that he is said to have walked off and crossed the road.

Guadalupe Moreno, 43, of Greenville, was driving his 1991 Honda passenger car south on NC 11 at the exact same moment Rascoe apparently chose to cross the road.

It was then that Moreno’s car, traveling at approximately 55-60 miles per hour, struck Rascoe.

He was transported by ambulance to Roanoke-Chowan Hospital in Ahoskie and then airlifted to Pitt Memorial Hospital in Greenville, where he still remains.

Moreno was charged with driving without a license, but no other charges were filed, according to Godwin.

Rascoe’s condition is unknown at this time.