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Man arrested after beloved mother of 2 hit, killed

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — A driver took off after hitting and killing a mother of two boys Thursday night in Kannapolis, police said.

Authorities said Stacey Elaine Barnette, 36, was hit between 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on Centergrove Road at the I-85 bridge. The driver left the scene after hitting Barnette, they said.

An anonymous tip led police to question Joshua Bolton at his home Saturday.

Bolton was then arrested and charged with a felony hit and run, police said.

He is being held in the Cabarrus County Jail under a $25,000 bail.

Family members said the vehicle was going so fast it knocked Barnette more than 150 feet.

"She was the love of my life," husband Terri Barnette said while fighting back tears as he talked about his wife of 15 years.

He said Stacey didn't drive and it wasn't uncommon for her to walk along roadways, but not after dark.

Terri Barnette showed Channel 9 reporter Dave Faherty some of the debris that family members found Friday at the crash scene. He alerted investigators after finding a serial number on the inside of the debris.

"It was surprising and actually shocking that this could lead to the person being caught," Terri Barnette said.

Based on evidence gathered at the scene, investigators believe Bolton was driving a Nissan Frontier pickup.

"Should have stopped and maybe she would have lived a few more days on this Earth, but I don't have that option now," Terri Barnette said.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the Kannapolis Police Department at 704-920-4000.

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