A 16-year-old high school football player died in a hit-and-run incident in Valdosta, Georgia, while attempting to aid an injured dog. The accident occurred on December 9, 2023, in the vicinity of the 3900 block of Inner Perimeter Road.
The victim, identified as Samuel Johnson Jr., a Valdosta High School student, was trying to assist the dog when he was struck by a vehicle. The car, described as a dark-colored Dodge Charger, was involved in the fatal incident. The driver did not remain at the scene.
A witness who stopped to help discovered Johnson and another injured dog. Emergency services were called, but Johnson’s injuries were fatal, and he was declared dead at the location. The initial dog he tried to help also did not survive.
Following the incident, on December 11, the hit-and-run driver of the Dodge Charger appeared at police headquarters, prompted by the police’s release of the vehicle’s description. The vehicle was found, but police have not confirmed if an arrest has been made.
The Wildcats, Johnson’s high school football team, expressed their grief over his death on social media. His memorial service was held the following day, December 10, at Perimeter Road Baptist Church in Valdosta, with the burial in a nearby cemetery in Lowndes County.