Father of young man struck and killed in Oxon Hill hit-and-run asks driver involved to come forward

OXON HILL, Md. - Police have identified the man who was struck and killed in a hit-and-run incident in Oxon Hill Thursday night as a 27-year-old man.

Kenard Hawkins was struck and killed Thursday night at the intersection of Wheeler and St. Barnabus Roads.

Kenard's father, James Hawkins is now looking for answers and is begging that driver to come forward.

"It wasn't a crime until you left," he said.

"I just hope they have the compassion to understand that all can be forgiven. I have already forgiven."

James says his son was his rock in a family that's faced a lot of tragedy. He says Kenard's birth mother was murdered when he was a toddler. Then, Kenard's brother was killed in a shooting.

"I had an older son who'd gotten killed," said James.

Most recently, Kenard's stepmother, Jean Quick-Hawkins, died of cancer. James says that's when his son really started to struggle and was in and out of his home. He doesn't know where Kenard was going Thursday night, just that he loved to walk.

"He has tattoo and stuff that when the officer called me, they could identify him," he said.

Police say Kenard was in the crosswalk when he was hit by a white pickup truck with a ladder either on top or on the side of it. The driver didn't stop.

As James deals with yet another loss of a family member, he tells FOX 5 that he spent part of Saturday evening in the rain remembering his son.

"He loved the rain. 'Dad, take me out in the rain,'" recalled James. "He didn't want no umbrella, he just wanted to go out and feel the raindrops."

He hopes the driver who hit his son sees his picture, hears his story and comes clean.

"Do the right thing. Turn yourself in," he said. "I will go there with you and ask for mercy."

Anyone with information is asked to contact police. They can stay anonymous by calling Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-8477.

In October 2016, a woman was killed in a hit-and-run at the same intersection. The driver eventually came forward.