Irving Biker Suffers Brain Damage Following Hit-And-Run
IRVING (CBSDFW.COM) – Irving resident Kenneth Hawkins loves to ride his bike; his family said he prefers it to his car.
On Feb. 24, Hawkins was doing just that; riding his bike along the 3100 block of Irving Blvd. A driver in a light blue or grey Ford F-150 hit the man from behind and didn't stop.
"He rode his bicycle everywhere," Hawkins's brother Jerry Hawkins said, standing at site of the hit-and-run Wednesday. "He would jump on his bike before he would get in his car."
Police say the truck has orange lettering along its bed near the driver's side tailgate. Witnesses described it as a work truck, "unkempt and dirty," said Irving Police Department spokesman John Argumaniz.
"There should have been other vehicles in the area at that time of the day so there should be more witnesses out there," he said.
Hawkins was rushed to Parkland Memorial Hospital. Doctors say he sustained severe brain damage –– he's awake now, but he's not aware of his surroundings.
"This has been hard, especially for his little boy," said Jerry Hawkins. "He hit him from behind. There is no reason! You can't just hit somebody and just keep going; I don't care if they're on a motorcycle, car or pedestrian; it's just not right."
Kenneth Hawkins' son is 7-years-old. He asks for his dad every day. His brother has been helping take care of him.
"He is without his dad," Jerry Hawkins said. "Right now he misses his dad; it's just the two of them."
What makes the hit-and-run even more unbearable? Kenneth's wife died in a car crash near Burleson six years ago. She was on her way to get breakfast for her family.
"She was eight months pregnant," Jerry Hawkins said. "They took the baby and the baby died the next day."
Investigators are asking for help identifying and location the hit and run suspect and his or her vehicle. Anyone who has information about the crime is asked to call the Irving Police Department at 972.273.1010.
