AKRON, Ohio — The family of a 38-year-old Akron man killed by a hit-and-run driver in September is getting some of the answers after a suspect was indicted in the case.
But Jesse McCool's family still has questions and frustrations, including why the man accused of leaving the scene is not currently in jail.
Freddie Lee Walker is facing a felony charge of failure to stop after an accident in connection with McCool's death.
"Getting justice for Jesse means everything to me. Now that we know more details, that is going to mean the world to me," McCool's sister, Celestine Saunders, said. "And I want to see justice for my brother, period."
The family spoke to News 5 after the crash. WATCH:
RELATED: Family calls for justice after Akron man killed by hit-and-run driver
Akron police say technology, including an image captured by a Flock license plate reader camera, played a critical role in identifying the vehicle involved and ultimately helped investigators build their case.
Police said Walker eventually admitted he was behind the wheel of a tan Cadillac SRX that struck McCool as he crossed South Main Street near East Miller Avenue just before 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 26.
McCool was taken to an Akron hospital and died the following day.
"Jesse was loving, caring," Saunders said. "Everybody knew him. Everybody loved him."
Walker has been served with a summons to appear in Summit County Common Pleas Court on Nov. 20, according to records.
Saunders believes he should be behind bars while awaiting that court appearance.
"It's the fact that you're still out walking loose and you feel like you should be free when you should not be," she said.
For Saunders, much of the anger comes from the allegation that Walker left the scene without stopping to help her brother.
"Because it's the fact that you did not stop. You did not seek help for him. You kept going. That's the part that makes me upset," she said.
In the days after McCool was killed, investigators initially appealed to the public for help finding the driver.
RELATED: Akron man killed by hit-and-run driver
Police first said they were looking for a black SUV. Investigators later identified the vehicle as a tan Cadillac SRX with tinted windows and an Ohio license plate beginning with "KYL."
Police said a Flock camera at Main and Miller streets captured an image of the SUV.
Then, on Oct. 3, investigators received an anonymous tip that Walker was attempting to repair the Cadillac, according to police.
Investigators examined electronically stored data from the Cadillac and said it helped them confirm it was the vehicle they had been searching for.
"We were able to gather that information to use it in our investigation and place the vehicle at the scene of the crime at that particular time," Akron Police Lt. Michael Murphy said.
Murphy acknowledged the controversy surrounding Flock cameras and questions over how much access law enforcement should have to the technology. But he said the camera was crucial in this investigation.
"Mr. McCool's family wanted us to utilize every investigative tool that we had access to in order to find out who was responsible for killing him," Murphy said. "Had it not been for the availability of Flock cameras, it's not likely that we would have gotten to the point that we're at right now."
According to police, Walker had a green light when McCool was struck. Investigators said they still do not know why Walker allegedly left the scene.
State records show Walker has previously served time in prison for sex crimes and domestic violence.
In the days after McCool's death, his sisters remembered him as a loving, outgoing and family-oriented man who lived with mild developmental delays and brought joy to those around him.
They said McCool did not drive and loved to walk.
At the time, the family pleaded for the driver to come forward and said that while they had room for forgiveness and understood the collision itself may have been an accident, leaving the scene was different.
Now, with an indictment in the case, Saunders said the family is closer to the accountability it has sought since McCool's death.
"He was an uncle, a friend, a brother, a cousin," Saunders said in September. "We loved him and for somebody to take him away from us, it hurts."
