OCALA- Holiday celebrations for 23 year old William "Alex" McDonald were cut short before they had a chance to begin Thursday after an early morning traffic accident claimed his life.

The hit and run accident occured in the intersection of South Pine Avenue and Southwest 10th street in Ocala.

McDonald's death marks the 8th traffic fatality in Ocala this year.

Sgt. Michael Sommer of the Ocala Police Department stated, "We had calls from witnesses, we also had a call from a witness that was a passenger in the actual hit and run vehicle, and then we were in fact contacted by the hit and run driver himself."

In conversations with investigators before his arrest,  25 year old Joseph Stewart of Ocala aqdmitted to being involved in the accident.

Another fatal hit and run accident occured in Marion County Thursday morning killing 42 year old Patrick Wisocky.