Driver arrested after pedestrian struck in Jones County hit-and-run

Deputies said the victim was walking with a friend near Sun Valley Drive when a vehicle hit him, knocking him into a ditch and out of one of his shoes. The driver did not stop.

JONES COUNTY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A 19-year-old man was hospitalized early Thursday after being struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run on New Clinton Road, according to the Jones County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies said the victim was walking with a friend near Sun Valley Drive when a vehicle hit him, knocking him into a ditch and out of one of his shoes. The driver did not stop.

During the investigation, Sgt. Walker found a side mirror at the scene that matched a Toyota 4Runner. License plate readers led deputies to a nearby residence, where they located a 4Runner with passenger-side damage and a missing mirror.

The driver, identified as Giovanni Nunez, was found asleep behind the wheel, the sheriff’s office said.

Nunez was arrested and charged with DUI, reckless driving, hit-and-run and other related offenses.

The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries.