The family of Edward Hopkins Jr. is seeking justice after he was involved in a hit-and-run.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville family is still searching for answers after 66-year-old Edward Hopkins Jr. was struck by a car while traveling in his motorized wheelchair, and the driver never stopped.
According to a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office crash report, the hit-and-run happened around 7:15 p.m. on October 16, 2025, near Terry Road and Randy Road.
The report states that Hopkins was “in a motorized wheelchair traveling eastbound on the south shoulder of Terry Road” when an eastbound vehicle “departed the roadway, struck [him], and then fled the scene.”
According to the family, they returned to the scene nearly 24 hours after the crash and discovered pieces of the damaged wheelchair and car parts still scattered along the roadside. Among the debris, they identified a bumper they believe belongs to a white Hyundai Elantra.
The responding officer wrote Hopkins was “laying on the sidewalk on the south side of Terry Road” and that his wheelchair had “suffered major damage.”
Hopkins told his older sister and legal guardian, Pat Bales, he had been heading home and didn’t remember being hit, only that he later woke up in pain.
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue crews transported Hopkins to Memorial Hospital, where his family says he remains hospitalized with broken ribs, a fractured back, and a long recovery ahead.
With no leads and no suspect vehicle identified, the report concluded, “Case suspended pending information regarding [the driver].”
Hopkins’ family says they returned to the scene nearly 24 hours later and found pieces of the damaged wheelchair and car parts still scattered along the roadside — including a bumper believed to belong to a white Hyundai Elantra.
After interviewing with First Coast News, Hopkins’ sister Tyshelle Hunter sent an update they called JSO to come by and provided the evidence they collected from the scene.
The family’s discovery underscores concerns about pedestrian and wheelchair safety on local roads, prompting renewed calls for caution and awareness among drivers.
If you have any information on the driver who hit Edward Hopkins around 7:19 p.m. Thursday Oct 16 at the intersection of Terry Road and Randy Road, call Crimestoppers at 866-845-tips.