Wesley Chapel family searches for answers after father hit, killed and left on roadside

Family seeks justice in hit-and-run crash

After the champagne is popped to mark the start of 2026, a wave of new laws will take effect across Florida. FOX 13's Jennifer Kveglis reports. 

WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. - Florida Highway Patrol says 39-year-old Daniel Avena was hit by a vehicle along Boyette Road near Vienna Woods Lane in Wesley Chapel on the evening of Nov. 16. 

Troopers believe the vehicle involved was an SUV, possibly a Toyota 4Runner or something similar, traveling southbound. Investigators said Avena was left on the side of the road for roughly 12 hours before his body was discovered around 7 a.m. the following morning.

The backstory:

Family members say Avena was well-known in the Wesley Chapel area and was rarely a stranger to anyone. Loved ones say he often stopped at the nearby Racetrac gas station along Boyette Road, places where people recognized him by his nickname, "Bernie Mac," for his humor and constant dad jokes.

Avena’s daughter, Lyric Avena-Day says simple errands with her father often turned into long conversations with people who stopped to talk to him. His family says walking along Boyette Road was something he did regularly, despite the dangers of the busy roadway.

That stretch of Boyette Road has no sidewalks and limited lighting — conditions neighbors say have long raised safety concerns, especially at night.

Timeline:

Avena left a Racetrac gas station at around 7 p.m. on November 16 about a quarter-mile south of where he was later found. But minutes later, asurveillance image captured at the gas station shows a vehicle believed to be connected to the crash roughly 12 minutes after the incident.

Avena's body was discovered along Boyette Road at around 7 a.m. on November 17. 

What they're saying:

A memorial of photos, flowers and signs now lines the shoulder of Boyette Road, marking the spot where Avena was found.

"This road is so dangerous," said Erin Day, the mother of Avena’s children. "It’s hard being here because of the sound of the traffic. Like nobody heard, nobody saw him for 12 hours."

Family and friends say it’s difficult to believe no one witnessed the crash. 

"I find it hard to believe that nobody saw anything," said family friend Miranda French. "It makes me angry."

What we don't know:

Investigators have not identified the driver involved in the crash, and it remains unclear where the acquaintance Avena was walking with was at the time of the incident.

What's next:

Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest. Tips can be submitted anonymously through the Crime Stoppers app. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call *FHP (*347) or Crime Stoppers at **TIPS.

Family members say they are also hoping for added safety measures along Boyette Road.