Intoxicated Driver Kills Autistic Teenager in Virginia Hit-and-Run

A 16-year-old boy with autism and mental disabilities was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Henrico County, Virginia. The victim, Joshua Driver, was walking home from an Arby's restaurant on Friday night after missing the final bus of the evening. Authorities have identified the suspect as 41-year-old John Daniel Bruehl, who is accused of striking the teenager while driving under the influence and fleeing the scene.

The tragedy was compounded by a series of unfortunate circumstances. Joshua's mother, Sharon Driver, explained that her son typically wore a reflective safety vest provided by the bus operator to increase his visibility. However, the vest was in the washing machine at the time of the incident and was not available for him to wear during his walk along West Broad Street.

Police discovered the teenager's body in a grassy area on the shoulder of the road approximately three hours after the collision occurred. Bruehl now faces charges of driving under the influence and hit-and-run. Arrest records indicate that this is not the first time the suspect has been accused of driving while intoxicated, marking his second alleged DUI offense within the last decade.

The Driver family has since launched a fundraising campaign to cover funeral and burial expenses. Sharon Driver has spoken publicly about the devastation of the loss, emphasizing the lethal nature of drunk driving and the pain of not knowing if her son suffered before he passed away.