Family speaks out after Brownsville man dies following hit-and-run; reward offered

BROWNSVILLE, Tenn. — On Tuesday morning, Brownsville resident Robert Jones did his daily routine.

He got up before sunrise, got dressed, and went on his morning walk to work on Thomas Street.

This time, he didn’t return.

“He was struck by a car and flown to Regional Medical Center in Memphis, and he died the next day,” his daughter, Jina Shaw, said.

The suspect left the scene.

Right now, police have no leads. It happened early in the morning, sometime after 5:45 a.m. and before 6:15 a.m.

Jones worked as a painter throughout Brownsville in his spare time, and he was well-known in the community.

“My father has taken that same walk every morning for the last 11 years,” Shaw said. “You will not find a single person who can say something bad about my father.”

Police say the section of Thomas Street where Mr. Jones does his morning walk is a high-traffic area, and they want anyone with any information to come forward.

“We right now have a $500 Crime Stopper reward for anything leading to the arrest of the culprit in this particular case. If necessary, we will up that reward,” Brownsville Mayor Bill Rawls said.

The family lost their grandmother last month to an illness, and they say they simply want closure.

“You especially don’t expect to lose them like this. This didn’t have to happen,” Shaw said. “If someone knows something, please come forward. We just want answers.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (731) 424-TIPS, or the Brownsville Police Department at (731) 772-1260.