HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — New information from court documents reveals Henrico Police found John Daniel Bruehl, 43, passed out in his Dodge Ram pickup at a Sheetz in the West End shortly after the hit-and-run crash that killed 16‑year‑old J.R. Tucker High School sophomore Joshua Driver.
Police said Bruehl is charged with hit‑and‑run and driving under the influence in connection with the early morning May 23 crash on West Broad Street.
When investigators found Bruehl inside the vehicle parked outside Sheetz, they said he told officers he thought he had struck traffic cones, admitted to drinking wine that night, and registered a blood alcohol content of 0.067, below Virginia’s legal limit for adults.
The crash happened near Willard Road and West Broad Street around 3 a.m.
Driver’s body was found in a grassy area on the shoulder of the road about three hours later, police said.
Family members said Joshua was likely walking home from the Willow Lawn area after missing his bus.
“This man just hit him and ran away,” Sharon Driver said of her son’s death. “How can he do that to my son?”
Known for his love of walking and riding GRTC buses, Joshua was gifted a reflective vest by bus operators. Sharon said it was in the wash the night he died.
According to the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, Bruehl was arrested in July 2025 on charges including DUI, driving while using marijuana, failing to signal, defective tail lights, and failing to obey a traffic signal. That arrest came after a traffic stop on Walnut Grove Road.
Bruehl failed to appear in court for that case on May 14, prompting a judge to issue a warrant, which Henrico Police served after taking him into custody in connection with Driver’s death.
Henrico Schools are offering counseling and other supportive services to students who knew Joshua.
A GoFundMe set up to help Joshua’s family with funeral and other expenses has raised $15,000.
Anyone with information about the crash should call Henrico Police at 804‑748‑1251 or submit a tip through the P3 app.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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