DeKalb County police searching for driver who struck man in wheelchair

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Police in DeKalb County are searching for the driver who struck a man in a wheelchair and kept going. Investigators say it happened on Rainbow Drive off Candler Road.

Family members identified the victim in that hit-and-run crash as 55-year-old Will Jackson. His sister, LaTarcha Jackson, told FOX 5 he’s in the hospital recovering from serious injuries, but doctors credited his wheelchair with protecting him from what could’ve been a fatal crash.

"If it wasn’t for his motorized wheelchair, aka his Cadillac, it pretty much saved his life," Jackson stated.

She said her brother is lucky to be alive after he and his "Cadillac" were struck by a white sedan while crossing the street last Friday.

"He came to get some Chinese food. They told him he could not use the restroom, so he decided to come over the Chevron to use the restroom…a white car hit him, sped off and left him there," she recalled.

Medics rushed the man to the hospital for treatment. Jackson said she was angered to learn the person who was behind the wheel didn’t stop to see if her brother was okay.

"I didn’t find out until the next day he was in the hospital for a fractured clavicle and broken ribs on his right side…it’s hurtful this world is so cruel these days—where no one won’t take the time," she said.

She told FOX 5 her brother is no stranger to cruising the street.

That Chevron was just a few hundred feet away from the China Cafeteria he made frequent visits to over the years.

"He has been traveling up and down Candler Road [for] over 20 years. He is well known in his motorized wheelchair—everybody knows him as Junior in his Cadillac," she said.

The short trip that took a dangerous turn leaves him with a long recovery process ahead.

"He’s got 7–10 weeks to heal," Jackson said.

While she and her family are doing what they can to help him, she’s hoping someone will help them identify the person responsible.

Investigators are checking nearby businesses for surveillance. If you see a car matching the description with any notable damage, contact the DeKalb County Police Department.