A Marine veteran and his dog were killed in a hit-and-run accident, according to police

FLORISSANT, Mo. (KMOV/Gray News) – A Marine veteran and his dog were killed in a hit-and-run while walking in their neighborhood near St. Louis.

The accident occurred Saturday morning in Florissant, Missouri.

Florissant police responded to the call around 7 a.m. and found 62-year-old Rick Alsept and his dog lying in the street.

Neighbors said Alsept was a proud Marine veteran and often walked around the neighborhood with his little dog, Chloe.

Red, white and blue flowers now mark the spot where they died.

“It was just tragic. I had a hard time calming down,” said neighbor Kevin Jordan. “He walked around here every day, a few times a day. He walked with his dog in a stroller, picked up and picked up trash, cleaned up the neighborhood, and everyone here knew him. He was a really, really nice guy.”

There are several signs posted in the area asking drivers to slow down.

Jordan said speeding is an ongoing problem in the neighborhood, where the speed limit is 30 miles per hour.

“I’ve seen people saying things like speed limits would help and stuff like that, but I don’t really know if that would help overall,” he said. “I don’t know what the solution would be.”

Jordan said he will remember his neighbor fondly and hopes the driver who hit him is brought to justice.

“It’s just sad that someone lives their life the way he did, sees the things he saw, and for that to happen, for him to die and go out like that, and for the person to run away,” he said. “There’s just no excuse for it.”

In this case, a hit-and-run is being investigated. On Monday, police announced the arrest of 29-year-old Alonzo Johnson of Florissant.

Johnson is accused of leaving the scene of a fatal accident. He is being held in the St. Louis County Jail on a $50,000 bond.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family.

“Rick was a lifelong Navy man and had settled into a quiet retirement. Anyone who spoke to him could tell you that he had two great loves in his life – the Navy and his children,” his son wrote on the page.

Alsept leaves behind his three children.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Florissant police at 314-831-7000.

Copyright 2024 KMOV via Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved.