MELBOURNE, Fla. — A Pennsylvania family visiting Central Florida for the holidays is leaving Melbourne without their 23-year-old son, who was killed in a hit-and-run crash on Christmas Day.

Melbourne police say 23-year old Andrew Sofranko was struck by a driver near who fled the scene in the area of South Harbor City Boulevard and Strawbridge Avenue.

Sofranko's father, Douglas Sofranko, said he got a frantic call from his son's friends about the crash on Christmas night.

Douglas, alongside his wife Danell, said his son, who went by Drew, was the best man at their wedding days prior to the accident, and the most important person in their life.

“We’re all obviously completely distraught and torn by this,” said Douglas Sofranko. “What went from the best moments on all of our lives went quickly to the absolute worst possible thing that could happen.”

Now this family says the suspect should come forward and give the family closure by turning himself to police. 

“I would ask whoever did this to do the right thing,” said Douglas.

While the Sofranko family grapples with this loss, they’re hoping police can catch the suspect.

“I just can’t believe that this has happened, how it turned out,” said Danell Sofranko.

Douglas said his son loved football and was a generous person.

Police say it’s unknown if alcohol or drugs were a factor in this crash.

The crash was one of thousands of hit-and-runs that have happened in Central Florida this year. 

The Florida Department of Highway Safety says so far in 2023, there have been 15,047 hit and run crashes with 44 fatalities and 3,873 injuries in Orange, Marion, Volusia, Lake, Seminole, Brevard and Osceola counties.

Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to call the Melbourne Police Department at 321-616-5033.