Hit-and-run wreck leaves honor student on life support

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Memphis high school honor student is on life support after being a victim of a hit-and-run last week.

Family and friends of Thomas Powell gathered together in front of Regional One Hospital to share good memories of the gifted young artist. Instead of getting ready for the start of school to start in a few weeks, Thomas is in on life support.

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“My brother was in the street talking,” Micah Jones said. “He looked and saw a car coming. He tried to run and the car just hit him and the car just kept going.”

His family said on July 2, the driver of a white Infiniti with tinted windows slammed into him as he stood near the driveway of his home on Brooks Road and Rochester Road. Rather than stopping and checking on the teen, the driver just kept going.

“He’s still on a ventilator, life support,” his grandmother Sharen Jones said. “They had to put a rod in his shin bone.”

Family members told WREG that Thomas was an excellent student at Mitchell High School and could be the school’s valedictorian next year.

“He’s very, very smart,” his grandmother Sharen Jones said. “His scores in school are unmatched.”

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Thomas’ hospitalization has been rough on his family.

“It’s been very hard, sleepless nights,” Sharon Jones said. “These kids crying day and night, can’t sleep and won’t eat.”

The family is asking the Memphis Police to help find the driver responsible for the hit-and-run.

“C.J. Davis, what’s up? Contact us or something,” Sharon Jones said. “I’ve called y’all’s office. So, what’s the problem? You say you care, show it. Actions speak louder than words.”

They also hope someone speaks up or the driver does the right thing and turns himself into the police.

“As a man, accept what you have done,” Thomas’ uncle Patrick Williams said. “Come on, turn yourself in before there be another incident where you’re involved and hurt somebody else.”

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“Most of all, this is a tragic event,” Reverend Henry Baskin said. “We need the whole community. If you know what happened and who did this, please step up and help.”

Thomas Powell’s family said his road to recovery could be a long one because he also sustained brain injuries.

If you have any information that could help police, call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.

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