Josh Detrick said he had plans Friday evening to go Christmas shopping with his wife.

But a hit-and-run car accident put his Christmas shopping plans on hold, and Monday he said he was worrying about paying for auto body repairs on his Toyota 4Runner.

Detrick said he was on the way to pick up his son from Pearl River Central. It was about 3:20 p.m., maybe 3:30, and he pulled up to a stop sign at Old Highway 11 and Highway 11. He said he looked left, and he looked right.

“There was no bad weather or anything,” he said. “There was a little bit of traffic from people on the way to pick their kids up from school, but the weather was nice.”

Suddenly a large black truck slammed into the rear of his Toyota.

“When he hit me I was looking to my left and my right, and I wasn’t expecting to be hit, he just came out of nowhere,” Detrick said. He added that he’s not sure whether the driver is male or female.

Detrick pulled off the road, and he said hoped the other driver would, too. But instead, he watched the car drive away.

Now, Detrick is hopeful that someone who saw the accident can come forward with additional details, because he only carried liability insurance, his other car doesn’t work and his wife is unemployed. Detrick supports his family through his paycheck alone, and he said he’s looking at some costly repair bills.

“The frame is bent,” he said. “The hitch is even shoved completely forward. The windows and the doors are smashed. The doors are going to cost a pretty penny with the electric window and everything. It was a paid off vehicle.”

Detrick said he filed a report with the Highway Patrol, and he mentioned the hit and run to other local law enforcement agencies in case they hear anything, and he’s keeping his fingers crossed that someone saw something and will come forward.

“Just, if you could help us find this person,” he said. “Or if the person could own up and come forward it would be greatly appreciated. I don’t want to press any charges, I am not trying to put anyone in trouble. Maybe they were in the same situation having some hard times as well.”

Mississippi Highway Patrol Spokesperson Cpl. Ben Seibert confirmed Detrick did indeed file a report with the department. But, Detrick admitted, his report wasn’t clear. Detrick said he didn’t get a great description of the vehicle, but he suspects it was a Ford.

“It was a large, full-sized pickup truck,” he said. “Unfortunately I was unable to see exactly what make it was. It looked like a larger F-Series Ford, but it could have been a GMC. I am pretty sure it was not a Dodge though. It had a chrome-colored grill on it.”

Detrick’s email is joshnjen12@gmail.com and he said his wife’s email is jldetrick84@gmail.com or he said people can call him at 717-799-5769.