NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A community is in mourning and calling for safer infrastructure in their neighborhood after a man was struck by a vehicle and killed on Colley Avenue in Norfolk Tuesday night, along with his two dogs, police said.

Norfolk Police said the man, later identified at 61-year-old Leo B. LaRue, was suffering from life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital, where he later died. The driver of the car stayed at the scene. LaRue was walking his two dogs. Both died at the scene.

The call for the crash came in around 8:50 p.m.

“Leo was a great guy,” said business owner James Holley. “I mean, he lived right down the street. Never met a stranger. Super nice guy. He rode his bike back and forth to work, worked over in Norfolk Naval Shipyard, and rainy days, cloudy days, sunny days, he was just a really nice guy.”

The latest incident involving a pedestrian or cyclist comes as local officials caution them to be mindful of traffic signals, using marked crosswalks and just to use extreme caution when crossing the road.

And residents say traffic can be a problem in this neighborhood.

“You’ll notice that when there’s an issue on Hampton Boulevard, a lot of the military traffic that’s traveling back to Portsmouth will clog up Colley Avenue,” Holley said. “Problem with Colley Avenue is you have parking on both sides of the street. You have a lot of pedestrian traffic and there’s a lot of students. So you have bicyclists, you have a number of different obstacles that can create some issues.”

Holley said his family also noticed drivers speeding in the area.

“My daughter even mentioned to me today that people don’t even pay attention to it,” Holley said, “and it’s sad. So, distracted driving, people going too fast, everybody’s in a hurry. We just really, really need to slow down.”

Cyclist Corey Logan said neighbors have been calling for change to the roads for years, but they haven’t seen enough.

“Lots of people for years have been saying that the city needs to change the infrastructure, not just change the paint, not just put up a sign, but provide physical separation between traffic and pedestrians and cyclists or to reduce speeds across the board,” Logan said.

While hoping for change that will make it safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike, people in the neighborhood won’t soon forget the man who never met a stranger.

“That sign right there,” Holley said, pointing up at the University Pizza sign and reading from it: “We love you, Leo.”

Check with WAVY.com for updates.