Approaching three-year mark, two fatal Jacksonville hit-and-runs could go unsolved

Several fatal hit-and-runs in Jacksonville are at risk of going unsolved unless the North Carolina State Highway Patrol can catch a break.

Sergeant Devin Rich said a call came in at 3:17 p.m. on December 27, 2019, that a 45-year-old man named Jim Powell had been found unconscious on Murrill Hill Road in Jacksonville.

Powell was visiting friends on December 26, when he left and began walking down the road to the Scotchman gas station (now Birdies) around 3 p.m. He was found by a passerby the next day and taken to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville, where he later died on January 10, according to previous coverage from The Daily News.

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Nearly three years later, Highway Patrol has no leads.

Rich said troopers initially thought Powell had just been assaulted, due to the lack of debris found at the scene. The Onslow County Sheriff's Office filed a report, just in case, and when investigators went back to the scene the following day, they found some mirror parts.

Highway Patrol said the parts belonged to a 2009-2013 Ford F-150 truck.

"We don't even know if the mirror parts are from that, or from a prior wreck," Rich said. "The medical examiner did rule it to be a motor vehicle collision."

The medical examiner found a blunt force strike to the back of Powell's head, his only injury, which led to the determination. Although troopers reviewed video surveillance footage from the gas station and Family Dollar on Highway 53, the videos did not have a street view of the road.

Other 2019 fatal hit-and-run also still unsolved

One of those cases about to hit that three-year mark is 19-year-old Jordan Briauna Rowles, who was found dead on U.S. 17 near High Hill Road shortly after midnight on November 4, 2019.

According to previous Daily News reporting, when troopers arrived, they discovered Rowles had been hit by three different cars, all of whom gave statements to investigators.

After receiving those statements and reviewing the medical examiner's report, it was determined that a fourth car was involved. That car hit and killed Rowles.

Rowles was last seen earlier that night with a friend, though the individual was not able to provide investigators with much information. Due to how isolated the area is at that time of night, investigators said it's unlikely anyone saw who was responsible.

More: Hit-an-run cases in Onslow at risk of not being solved

Anyone with information or tips on Powell's case, and/or even Rowles, is asked to contact the Highway Patrol at 910-347-1751, or *47 if calling outside of the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

One fatal hit-and-run solved in 2022

Rich said 2022 has seen one fatal hit-and-run, but it was solved pretty quickly.

On February 28, on N.C. Highway 24 at Koonce Fork Road, Quentin Earl Brainard, 53, ran a stop sign. Brainard hit a Ford Explorer in the side, flipping the car over and into the path of another vehicle, killing the driver, 19-year-old Constance Boseman. Rich said Brainard then fled the scene.

According to the police report, Brainard did have alcohol and/or drugs in his system.

Another driver saw Brainard leaving and followed him. Although he didn't get a tag number, he was able to get a description of the vehicle. The next day, investigators found Brainard, as he was trying to report his truck stolen. After being interviewed, he admitted to the crime and showed investigators where the vehicle was.

Brainard's case is still pending, but Rich said he has been charged with two counts of felony hit-and-run, as well as some other charges.

"The way the patrol looks at it is, after three years, people move away or if they haven't in three years come forward..." Rich said. "Then after that, we kind of do a, at 10 years we'll say, 'hey, anybody got any information they'd like to give?'"

Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards of up to $2,500 for information provided that’s deemed of value or assistance to law enforcement. Callers to Crime Stoppers are not required to reveal their identities. Information can also be anonymously texted via Text-A-Tip by typing TIP4CSJAX and the message to 274637.

Reporter Morgan Starling can be reached at mstarling@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on The Daily News: Jacksonville hit-and-runs from 2019 still unsolved