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ATHENS, Ga. - A grieving mother is pleading for justice, asking anyone with knowledge of a fatal hit and run to step forward. Athens-Clarke County Police say her son, 22-year-old Charles Avery Sokol was struck and killed when he tried to get across the State Route 10 Loop near Athens early Saturday morning.
“This is my son, this is Avery,” said Kay Sokol, as she held a picture of her son.
She referred to him as Avery, his middle name. Sokol said her son had become separated from friends after a concert and was taking a short cut home.
“He was trying to get back home. He wasn't far from home about a couple of miles and somebody told him a short cut and he took it,” said Sokol.
It was a short cut which cut short his life. Police say Sokol was struck by a silver 90's Nissan struck Sokol, killing him. Based on the substantial damage to the car, a broken out front windshield, a badly damaged hood and roof, police suspect the driver knew he'd hit someone.
“It was pretty obvious that he struck a person,” said Lt. Don Eckert, of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department.
He said the driver has been identified as Manuel Perez, 48, of Athens. Perez remains unaccounted for and faces charges of driving without a license, hit and run and vehicular homicide. Police found the car behind a house not far from the crime scene with a tarp over it.
“More proof that the driver knew he hit a person and you don't hide your car behind a house and put a tarp over it if you think you hit a deer or something,” said Lt. Eckert.
Kay Sokol made a direct plea for help finding Perez.
“If you know him and see him, please don't hesitate to call the police,” said Sokol.
The grieving mother said her son had recently moved to Athens from the Lake Hartwell area where his family lives to begin a life on his own two feet.
“He was on his own and had a good job. He was making his living and paying his bills he wasn't doing nothing wrong,” said Kay Sokol.
Charles Avery Sokol she said was her only child.