A pedestrian who appeared to be collecting aluminum cans along a Dallas freeway was critically injured early Tuesday after being struck by a hit-and-run driver, police said.

I-35 pedestrian crash What we know: Dallas Police officers responded at 2:09 a.m. to the northbound lanes of South R.L. Thornton Freeway (Interstate 35E) near the West Overton Road exit, where they found a man lying critically injured in the roadway.

Dallas Fire-Rescue paramedics took the victim to a local hospital in critical condition.