A longtime Hazelwood resident beloved by neighbors for his many acts of kindness was killed yesterday when he was struck by a vehicle near his home and dragged about a mile along twisting, hilly streets into Greenfield.

Police said the victim, Tommie Miles, 50, appeared to have been dragged by the vehicle from near his home in the 4800 block of Nansen Street to where he was found in Greenfield on Frank Street between Lilac and Kennebec streets.

The driver fled the scene and police said they have no idea what kind of vehicle was involved.

The Allegheny County medical examiner's office ruled the death an accident pending further investigation by city homicide detectives.

Mr. Miles, who worked in nursing homes as a certified nursing assistant until a hip replacement disabled him -- he walked with a slight limp -- was described by one neighbor as "a wonderful guy" who helped elderly residents by putting out their trash and shoveling their walks. Any time Mr. Miles saw someone lugging groceries up the steep streets of Hazelwood he would stop and offer a ride, they said.

Police said the following occurred:

Zone 4 officers were dispatched at 3:54 a.m. for the report of a man down in the street. Upon arrival, they found Mr. Miles unresponsive. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

His head and torso had trauma and he was not wearing shoes.

Detectives observed a bloody trail of evidence that led them to the 4800 block of Nansen Street, where they found a pair of shoes and some of Mr. Miles' personal property. A relative and neighbors said those items included his socks, a watch and a hat. His relatives confirmed for police that the shoes belonged to Mr. Miles.

Police also found a trail of "shredded" clothing scattered along Nansen and Hazelwood Avenue.

Police said Mr. Miles had been at a local bar Tuesday night, returning home between 1:30 and 2 a.m. yesterday, only to leave again a short time later. He was last seen walking on Nansen Street toward Flowers Avenue. Police think that's where he was struck.

Pittsburgh Police Cmdr. Thomas Stangrecki said Mr. Miles, who was wearing dark clothing, was apparently dragged under the vehicle following the impact.

Asked if Mr. Miles might have been drunk or trying to kill himself, Cmdr. Stangrecki said only that police were examining all possibilities.

He acknowledged that some of Mr. Miles' clothing appeared to be neatly arranged in the street and that he "may have done that himself."

He also noted that Mr. Miles' injuries were all above his waist and that his legs were not broken, indicating that he was "down low" at the time he was struck by the car. Police believe he died shortly after the impact.

Detectives found no car parts or paint chips to indicate what kind of car hit Mr. Miles.

In Mr. Miles' neighborhood yesterday, relatives and neighbors were stunned by the death of a man so well liked he was called "Uncle Tommie" and by the fact that whoever hit him failed to stop.

"They had to have known they were dragging something," bemoaned Mr. Miles' sister, Marta Aikens, also of Hazelwood. "This is crazy. I don't know if they were scared they hit him but you still stop. You don't keep going when you hit someone like that."

Ms. Aikens echoed comments from neighbors, saying "Everybody loved him. He was an all-around nice guy."

"A wonderful guy," is how Dee Schreiner described him, recalling fondly how Mr. Miles would look after her elderly mother by shoveling her walk. "He was very friendly, never bothered anyone."

"He was a beautiful person," said neighbor Rose Edmonds, who knew Mr. Miles most of his life. "If I needed something, he would do it. He would do anything for you. Everybody's in shock. I'm in shock."

Police are asking that anyone with information call city homicide at 412-323-7161.

Ms. Aikens said whoever was involved should do the right thing and turn themselves in.

"This is just senseless," she said.