Autistic teen killed in hit-and-run by a drunk driver in Virginia

A 16-year-old described by his family as "autistic and mentally disabled" has been killed in a hit-and-run collision in Virginia, struck down whilst walking home from a local Arby's restaurant.

His mother says Joshua Driver had missed the last bus and had accidentally left behind the reflective safety vest he routinely wore.

"He had one of those vests given to him by the bus operator," said Sharon Driver, Joshua's mother, in an interview with local CBS affiliate WTVR. "But the day before I washed it, so it was in the washer still … and I hadn't had a chance to dry it."

What happened that night

Police say John Daniel Bruehl, 41, was driving under the influence when he struck Joshua along West Broad Street in Henrico County before fleeing the scene.

Joshua had gone to the Arby's on Friday evening with his brother, but the pair missed the bus they ordinarily relied on for the return journey, leaving Joshua with no option but to walk.

"[The brother] came back on his own on [the] last bus, and Joshua missed the last bus," Driver told local ABC affiliate WRIC. "I believe that Josh was walking back … when this happened to him."

Joshua's body was discovered in a grassy area on the roadside shoulder approximately three hours after the impact, in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Mother's anguish

Sharon Driver has spoken of her devastation at the manner in which her son died, expressing disbelief that Bruehl could have left the scene without stopping to help.

"This man just hit him and ran away. How can he do that to my son? I feel like he has no heart. He didn't have a heart."

She also described the unbearable uncertainty of not knowing whether Joshua experienced any suffering after the collision.

"I don't know if he suffered or if he died instantly. He didn't even grow up. He didn't become an adult."

Who was Joshua Driver

A GoFundMe set up on behalf of the family describes Joshua as an "autistic and mentally disabled" boy who "didn't always understand everything" but was "aware of what was happening around him." The fundraiser was launched to help cover funeral and burial costs.

Charges and prior offences

Bruehl has been charged with DUI and hit-and-run. Arrest records indicate this is his second alleged DUI offence within a period of five to ten years.

Sharon Driver offered a stark warning about the real-world consequences of drink-driving. "It hurts people, it kills people. It killed my son."