Suspect Sought in Hit and Run Killing

In the wee hours of the morning Monday, February 19th, a young farmer was walking along the road not far from his home. He never made it back.

Around 4:30 am, deputies of the Ionia County Sheriff Office responded to a 911 call of a subject lying in the road on Charlotte Highway in Danby Township. Arriving on the scene, they found the body of Nicholas Hoppes, 29, of Portland. What was initially, deemed merely a suspicious death, has since been determined to be a hit and run accident and is under investigation.

Mr. Hoppes was walking south along Charlotte Highway just north of Peake Road at the time. He was dressed in a darkly colored coat, blue jeans and camouflage “muck” boots. Investigators have been able to determine that he was struck by a vehicle traveling northbound on Charlotte Highway. Deputies found the body in the northbound lane of the road. The Medical Examiner’s Office has determined that he was killed between the hours of 2:00 am and 4:20 am.

Funeral arrangements have been made with Lehman Funeral Homes of Portland. Visitation will be from 10:00 to 11:00 am on Tuesday, February, 27th at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Portland with the Memorial Mass immediately following at 11:00 am.

Anyone with any information concerning this death is urged to contact investigators at the Ionia County Sheriff’s Office at 616-527-5737, or Silent Observer at 616-527-0107.