One week after a hit-and-run crash in Ross County claimed the life of a local man, authorities have arrested a suspect and charged him in connection with the deadly collision, marking a significant development in a case that had left family and neighbors seeking answers.
According to Ross County Jail records and statements from the sheriff’s office, 34-year-old Martin Arlington Howard was taken into custody Saturday in Pike County and booked into the Ross County Jail on multiple felony charges, including aggravated vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an accident in connection with the January 10 death of 49-year-old Joshua R. Hopkins.
Hopkins, a Waverly resident, was killed when a vehicle veered off the roadway and struck him in the 5800 block of Denver Road in Huntington Township while he was reportedly walking his dog in his front yard on Saturday evening. The driver fled the scene after the impact, initially leaving investigators with few leads.
Ross County Sheriff George Lavender Jr. confirmed the arrest, saying law enforcement credited community tips with helping lead them to Howard. The sheriff’s office has not yet released detailed information about Howard’s alleged involvement, or the vehicle believed to be connected to the crash.
Family members and friends of Hopkins had implored the public for information in the days after the crash, posting photos of the tire marks left in the grass and describing the sudden loss as a “nightmare.” Before the arrest, officials had identified Hopkins publicly nearly five days after the crash and reiterated that the investigation was ongoing, urging anyone with information to contact authorities or Southern Ohio Crime Stoppers.
Hopkins’ stepdaughter, Elizabeth Martinez, told other news outlets that family members were devastated by his death. She described him as a generous man who “never met a stranger” and said the family was still in shock, with plans and memories now forever altered by the tragedy.
Howard is currently being held at the Ross County Jail as he awaits arraignment. The case remains under investigation, and no incident or arrest reports have yet been released publicly by the sheriff’s office. Law enforcement continues to urge residents with any relevant information to come forward.
