A male pedestrian died after being struck by a vehicle in the westbound lanes of Central early this morning, Albuquerque police say.

“After he was struck, the vehicle fled the scene,” Albuquerque Police Department Spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins said in an email.

Atkins said it is unclear whether the pedestrian was crossing Central Avenue or if he was in the roadway for other reasons.

Police are working to identify the driver, Atkins added. According to a news release, officers were dispatched to the area of Central and 59th Street NW at approximately 3 a.m. When officers arrived, they located one person who had succumbed to their injuries on scene. Police have not identified the pedestrian.

A recent report by Smart Growth America ranked New Mexico as the most dangerous state in the nation for pedestrians with an average of 3.76 pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people.