Edwardsville—A juvenile has been charged in connection with a fatal accident that occurred in Granite City this past June.
On June 6, 2014, the Granite City Police Department responded around 6:00 a.m. to the MCT bike trails where a jogger had reported an unresponsive male who was later identified at Jack Hoppe, 35. An autopsy determined that he had suffered multiple broken bones and internal injuries and that the cause of death was blunt trauma to the chest and abdomen caused by a motor vehicle.
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The investigation by detectives revealed that Hoppe may have been sleeping on the bike trail when a car allegedly hit him and drove off. Following an ongoing investigation by detectives, charges have been filed against a 16-year-old male from Granite City who was driving the car that ran over the victim. The juvenile is facing two felony charges: one count of Reckless Homicide and one count of Failure to Report an Accident Involving Personal Injury or Death.
He is currently in custody at the Madison County Detention Home in Edwardsville. As of now, the case will remain in juvenile court; therefore, no further information will be released at this time. In juvenile court, potential penalties can range anywhere from supervision or probation to juvenile Department of Corrections (DOC).
This charge, as well as the statements made herein, is based upon probable cause. The
defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty
