17-year-old killed in hit-and-run was on his way to take ACT

3 years ago 264

Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says fishy near country of crash, whitethorn person entered a rideshare vehicle

https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2021/09/17/17-year-old-killed-in-hit-and-run-was-on-his-way-to-take-act/

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Family members accidental Michael Walton, 17, was lone a fewer blocks from his precocious schoolhouse -- wherever helium was headed to instrumentality the ACT -- erstwhile helium was killed implicit the play successful a hit-and-run crash.

It happened adjacent Murray Hill connected Saturday. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said a antheral who was driving a 2022 Hyundai Sonata ran a reddish airy earlier causing the crash. Investigators said the antheral past abandoned the crashed conveyance and entered a metallic conveyance connected Edgewood Avenue, possibly a rideshare car.

The American emblem connected Thursday was flying astatine half-staff extracurricular Riverside High School successful representation of Walton, who played basketball.

He was a person to galore and a loving son, known affectionately arsenic Prince.

“When (he) was born, arsenic I was holding him successful my arms, I said, ‘You are my prince,’” recalled his mother, Renee.

She said astir 6:30 Saturday morning, Walton asked for meal earlier heading retired to instrumentality the test.

It’s the past clip his parent would perceive his voice.

“That was hard due to the fact that the idiosyncratic conscionable near him. Just near him. Didn’t cheque connected him. Didn’t telephone 911. You conscionable near my baby,” Walton’s parent said.

Her son, who had conscionable taken his elder photos, was anxious to spell to assemblage and survey carnal therapy.

Michael Walton

“He took a friend, helium took a son, helium took a player. He was each that to us,” said David Jones, his hoops coach.

Walton was a person connected and disconnected the hoops court. A teacher told News4Jax helium was the “definition of a large student.”

A peculiar ceremonial is planned for Walton connected Friday astatine his precocious school.

His classmates and teammates volition each deterioration reddish successful his representation and stock stories.

“He conscionable kept each our vigor up,” said Trent Watson, a teammate. “If helium came astir us, like, helium conscionable would support our heads up erstwhile we were down. He was similar a motivator to each of us.”

Walton’s household and friends anticipation the operator is caught truthful they tin get justness and person closure.

“That was heartless. Heartless to permission a invaluable and priceless quality being successful that condition,” Walton’s begetter Michael said of the different driver. “Turn yourself in. Turn yourself in.”