$5,000 reward now offered in fatal hit and run case

A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the driver who struck and killed Shaun Wright, seen here with his young son. Wright was killed Feb. 19, in a hit and run collision on Old Atlanta Highway. Photos courtesy of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office.

CORRECTION – It has been brought to my attention that the original cutline associated with this article contained an error.
The $5,000 reward being offered IS NOT for information leading to the arrest of Shaun Wright. It is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the driver who struck and killed Wright in a Feb. 19 hit and run.
The GRIP deeply regrets this error and any confusion it may have caused.
– Sheila Mathews

STAFF REPORT :::

The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia State Patrol-Griffin Post, in a join effort, announce that a $5,000 reward is being offered to anyone with information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for the hit and run death of Shaun Wright.

“On February 19, 2018 at approximately 7:17pm, units of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office and Troopers from Georgia State Patrol Post 1 in Griffin responded to a hit and run accident on Old Atlanta Road, north of Vineyard road. The victim of the accident, Shaun Wright, was sitting on a bicycle near the edge of the roadway when he was struck by a vehicle and killed. Evidence gathered at the scene and in the area, leads us to believe that the vehicle involved was a red in color Mercury, Chrysler, or Dodge minivan. Pieces of the headlight, front end, and paint fragments were recovered and pieced together to lead us to the suspect vehicle,” said Sheriff Darrell Dix. “Fragments of the vehicle were followed and we believe that after striking Mr. Wright, the vehicle continued north on Old Atlanta and crossed the railroad tracks to Kilgore Road at the crossing directly behind the Cronic Dealership. The vehicle should have extensive damage to the passenger side front area and fender.”

According to a press release issued by Dix, evidence indicates the suspect is believed to be a white female.

“In the days following the incident video was recovered from a nearby business that showed a white female driving what at the time was believed to be the suspect vehicle. That vehicle and person have been located and it has been determined it and the female driver were not involved. Weeks later, another video was recovered from another business near Tower Street and Old Atlanta Road that may depict the vehicle involved based on the area and timing involved,” Dix said. “The GBI has analyzed the video and due to video quality, the tag on the vehicle could not be enhanced. The video has been turned over to another source for attempted enhancement. The photos attached to this release depict what we believe to be the vehicle involved.”

Dix said law enforcement officers from his office and the GSP have exhausted every lead available in the case, but so far, to no avail.

“Investigators and Troopers have followed every lead given to us in this case. Many of those leads have been calls about the same vehicles being seen multiple times and they have been checked by us multiple times. These include leads from local social media sales sites, junkyards, and even areas we have been directed to for abandoned vehicles,” he explained. “We have checked business videos in the area; we have sent notifications to body shops not just in Spalding County but in surrounding counties as well. So far, no leads have panned out. We have interviewed every person and followed every lead that has been pointed out to us and we have reached a dead end.”

Dix said he hopes the reward now being offered will help bring resolution to the case and provide answers to the victim’s family.

“In an effort to find closure for Shaun’s family, we are offering a $5000.00 reward for information leading to the location of the vehicle, and the arrest, and conviction of the suspect who took his life. Shaun had a family and they need the closure that will come with the conviction of the person who killed him,” Dix said.

If you have any information, please contact the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office at 770.467.4282 or Trooper Byron Mims at Georgia State Patrol Post 1 in Griffin, 770.412.4063.