Family remembers TJ, man hit, killed while walking home from work at McDonald's: 'It hurts'

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- It is impossible to imagine Gay Winbush's pain.

She was on the phone with her son Tyrone Thomas Tuesday night when he was hit and killed by a man police said was drunk.

"He just turned 25," Winbush said. "To have his life wiped out for no reason, he was minding his own business, trying to say goodbye to his co-workers."

Tyrone worked at the McDonald's off Murchison and Country Club Roads alongside his mom.

He walked that same route home every night which took him about 10 minutes.

"TJ was just walking home from work," Gay said. "He wasn't bothering nobody, he was a good kid. He took care of his family. He was a good kid."

Fayetteville Police said Tyrone was killed when a car driven by 22-year-old Logen Harvey hit him while he was trying to cross Murchison Road.

Police said they had been trying to stop Harvey earlier after they noticed he was traveling at a high rate of speed. Eventually, they caught up with him a short distance away.

ABC11 cameras watched as Harvey failed a field sobriety test after the crash. He has been charged with felony death by motor vehicle and driving while impaired.

"You heard a big boom," said Kevin Zwicker, who works at the Circle K on Murchison Road. "You heard a gasp and within three to four minutes the whole street was lined with police."

Gay called her son goofy and said he always 'messed with his little sister.'

She is imploring people to know the legal limit when it comes to drinking and think hard before getting behind the wheel.

"The fact that I'm never going to get see him again," Sydney said. "It hurts."