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Family wants answers for fatal hit-and-run victim one year later

LAWRENCE, Ind. (WISH) – The Lawrence Police Department is still looking for the person who hit and killed a man riding his motorcycle one year ago.

On May 10, 2015, Jonathan “JMAC” Macklin, 25, was riding his motorcycle in the area of Pendleton Pike and McCoy Street when he was hit by a SUV. Macklin, a recent college graduate who had celebrated his 25th birthday seven days prior, died. The person driving the SUV kept going.

The police department released surveillance video of the deadly collision, but so far no arrest has been made.

The vehicle is believed to haven been a white 2000 – 2006 GM SUV, likely a Tahoe, Suburban, or Yukon. Police said the SUV’s taillight would have been hanging from the driver’s rear side and other damage was likely.

Macklin’s mother, Julianna Sliger, said she believes the death of her son was an accident.

She said, “Jonathan’s not here to tell his side of the story. I don’t know what happened. I just want to hear their side of the story. I want them to take responsibility for what they did and just apologize to the family. We understand that accidents happen.”

Macklin’s twin sister, Jamika Macklin, said, “In our 25 years of life, we never really made any bad memories together. We just made good memories and I’m upset that we can’t make anymore. He’ll never be an uncle, he’ll never see me get married. You know, the next steps, I will never see him finish his master’s degree like he was getting ready to start.”

Anyone with information is asked to call the Lawrence Police Department at (317) 549-6404 or Crime Stopper of Central Indiana at (317) 262-TIPS (8477).

The motorcycle group Macklin rode with, United Nationz Ryderz, is hosting a memorial ride on Sunday, May 15. Registration will start at 11 a.m. at Esquire Plaza at the intersection of Pendleton Pike and McCoy Street.

Kickstand will go up at 12:30 p.m. The cost is $20. Bikers will leave Esquire Plaza and continue riding South on U.S. 31 to the JMAC Celebration at the 31 Bar & Grill.

Donations are also being accepted for Macklin’s family. To donate call Jorge Donald at (317) 979-5836 or (317) 389-3380.

Macklin’s twin sister emailed the following statement regarding her brother’s death:

The night of May 10, 2015 that driver took from me my best friend, somebody I made so many memories with from the time of birth to the time of his death. We always laughed and had a good time. Now, instead of making good memories with Jonathan I have to mourn him every day but especially this whole week starting from the time of our birth day to a week after his death day to the day after his death date, which is the day we discovered he was deceased, to Mother’s Day because he passed on Mother’s Day last year.  He brightened everyone’s day who he came into contact with. His spirit and his persona were electrifying. I would like to know why the person who hit Jonathan is able to live their life every day, get to see their family members and their children, wake up and breathe air and go to sleep. Even if they were put behind bars they still have the luxury of seeing their loved ones and I do not have the luxury of seeing my brother, calling him, touching him,  giving him a hug, making him an uncle, seeing him prosper, seeing him grow. I do not think that’s fair. I want to know why this person has not been found, why there isn’t any leads when the accident happened in front of the fire station, why wasn’t there any witnesses when there was a Toyota Camry right behind the vehicle that hit Jonathan. I want to know why it’s been a year and there has not been anything done. I want to know why we have so many unanswered questions. I want to know why the police department are not using some type of technology to make the clarity of the license  plate clear so that they can find this person.

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