HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — A memorial is growing at the corner of Willard Road and West Broad Street for 16‑year‑old Joshua Driver.
Driver, a J.R. Tucker High School sophomore, was killed early Saturday morning in what police say was a DUI hit‑and‑run.
Henrico police said John Daniel Bruehl, struck Driver while drunk driving and then fled the scene.
The crash happened around 3 a.m. May 23 near a construction site on West Broad Street.
Driver’s body was found in a grassy area on the shoulder of the road about three hours later.
Bruehl appeared virtually in Henrico General District Court Tuesday, where he was appointed an attorney.
He is charged with hit‑and‑run and driving under the influence. His next court appearance is scheduled for August 17.
New information from the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office shows Bruehl was arrested in July 2025, on charges including Driving Under the Influence, Driving While Using Marijuana, Failing to Signal a Turn, Defective Tail Lights, and Failing to Obey a Traffic Signal. Deputies said the arrest followed a traffic stop on Walnut Grove Road near Peach Orchard Lane for suspected DUI.
Bruehl failed to appear in Hanover General District Court on May 14, 2026, for that DUI case, prompting a judge to issue a capias. Henrico Police served the warrant on May 23 after taking him into custody in connection with Joshua’s death.
Driver’s mother, Sharon Driver, is struggling to comprehend the loss. “This man just hit him and ran away,” she said. “How can he do that to my son?”
Sharon believes Joshua decided to walk down West Broad Street from Willow Lawn after missing his bus.
Family members said he had gone out Friday night with his brother to Arby’s, and that Joshua was likely walking home when he was struck.
Joshua was known across the Richmond area for his love of walking around Henrico and riding GRTC buses, traveling as far east as the airport and as far west as Goochland County.
Bus operators had gifted him a reflective vest because of his frequent travels, but Sharon said it was in the wash the night he died.
"I hadn't had a chance to dry it," she said.
A spokesperson for Henrico Schools said supportive services, including counselors and school‑based mental health providers, are being offered to classmates and other students who knew Joshua.
Prior to Joshua’s death, Henrico County had recorded at least 29 pedestrian‑involved crashes so far this year, including three fatalities. Anyone needing a safety vest can pick up a neon green
“Watch Out Ahead” Henrico vest at any county police station, government building, or public library.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help Joshua’s family with unexpected expenses.
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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