A family member has said that the man killed early January 20 in a hit and run on U.S. 29 in Ruckersville is Damien Shifflett, 30, a father of four. State police spokeswoman Corinne Geller has since confirmed the ID, and said that Shifflett was from Stanardsville.
Barely a month earlier, his family suffered another tragedy. According to the family member, Shifflett is the uncle of the 4-year-old who died in a house fire December 19 on Matthew Mill Road, which is close to where he was found.
Virginia State Police are still looking for the driver of the vehicle that struck Shifflett between 1am and 3:30am January 20, and have asked anyone with information to call 434-352-7128.
“Our family has been through so much in such a short time and we are trying to pull together,” said his cousin, Shana Marie Lamb in a gofundme post to help pay for Shifflett’s funeral.
Said Lamb in a Facebook message, “We are in desperate need of funds so that we can lay him to rest.”