COLUMBUS — The holiday season is not always a happy time for everyone. 

This is often a time when grieving families spend the holidays without their loved ones. With that in mind, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office held a news conference, spreading awareness on the impact that fatal hit and skips have on the families of the victims. 

The Franklin County sheriff’s office’s “Operation Holiday Remembrance” news conference was meant to honor and raise awareness for those families who have lost a family member or friend to a fatal hit and skip car accident.  Four cases were highlighted that are still unsolved. Hoping to find some clues on the cases and show what these families have endured. The sheriff’s office is also asking everyone to be mindful of what people could be going through during the holiday season.  Police say over a thousand hit skips occur every year in central Ohio that range in severity. 

“Obviously, the majority of these incidents, that get called out, involve impaired drivers, people that are under the influence or people that are involved in other criminal activity. But so far, like I said, about a thousand hits skips a year is what we average to investigate,” said Franklin County police chief, Jim Gilbert.

To help the Frankin County Sherif’s Office solve these cases, people can call the Franklin County tip line at 614-525-6113. For an anonymous tip, call 614-461-8477.