Georgia State Patrol Seeks Driver After Hit-and-Run in 3100 Block of Augusta Highway

 Authorities have identified the man who was killed in an early morning hit-and-run along Augusta Highway as 53-year-old Tony Fulwood Sr., of Dearing, Georgia, leaving a close-knit community in shock and a devastated family searching for answers in the wake of a senseless tragedy. The fatal incident, which occurred in the pre-dawn darkness, has prompted an intensive multi-agency investigation as law enforcement works urgently to find the driver who struck Fulwood and callously left the scene.

McDuffie County Coroner Paul Johnson officially confirmed Fulwood's identity following the tragic discovery early Sunday morning. Officials say Fulwood was struck in the 3100 block of Augusta Highway, a busy rural corridor, under circumstances that remain under active and meticulous investigation by the Georgia State Patrol and local authorities who are piecing together the final moments.

According to authorities, 911 dispatchers received a chilling call at approximately 4:40 a.m. Sunday reporting a body lying on the side of the road along the dark, unlit stretch of Augusta Highway. The caller, whose identity has not been released, provided the location that sent emergency personnel racing to the scene in the early morning hours when visibility was extremely limited.

Emergency personnel from McDuffie County EMS, the Sheriff's Office, and fire rescue responded rapidly to the scene, where they found Fulwood lying off the roadway with catastrophic injuries consistent with being struck by a motor vehicle traveling at highway speed. Despite their swift response, there was nothing that could be done to save him.

Fulwood was officially pronounced dead at the scene at 5:11 a.m., just 31 minutes after the initial 911 call was received, underscoring the severity and violence of the impact. The early morning timing, approximately an hour before sunrise, and the rural location have significantly complicated the investigation, as there were few potential witnesses traveling on the roadway at that desolate hour.

Investigators have not yet released any details on the suspect vehicle or driver involved in the deadly hit-and-run, and no public description of a make, model, or color has been made available. The Georgia State Patrol Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team, along with the McDuffie County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division, is actively working to determine exactly what led up to the fatal incident and to locate the responsible party who made the conscious decision to flee.

An autopsy has been scheduled for later this week at the GBI crime lab as part of the ongoing investigation, which will help determine the exact cause and manner of death and potentially provide critical forensic clues about the type of vehicle involved, such as paint transfer, headlight fragments, or unique impact patterns. Officials have not yet released additional details regarding possible eyewitnesses, nearby business surveillance cameras, or specific debris evidence collected in the area.

The sudden, violent loss has left loved ones utterly grieving as they remember Fulwood and the profound positive impact he had on those around him in Dearing and throughout McDuffie County. Family members describe a 53-year-old man deeply connected to his community, a father, and friend whose life was cut tragically short in a violent and cowardly act that has left a permanent void.

Family and friends now mourn the tragic and unexpected loss of Tony Fulwood Sr., holding tightly onto cherished memories, photographs, and stories while struggling to process the heartbreaking and infuriating news of his passing. Authorities are urgently pleading with anyone who was traveling on Augusta Highway near the 3100 block around 4:40 a.m. Sunday, or who may have dashcam footage, to come forward immediately to help bring justice for Fulwood.