MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – A Montgomery family is asking for answers — and help — more than seven months after a hit-and-run left their loved one critically injured and ultimately took his life.
The victim, Shaquan McDade, was struck while riding his bicycle on Wares Ferry Road on the evening of May 31, 2025, according to Montgomery police. Officers responded to the crash just before 9 p.m. and found Shaquan McDade suffering from life-threatening injuries. He was rushed to the hospital, where he remained for months.
On January 12, Shaquan died from those injuries.
“He didn’t die that night,” a family member said. “He suffered for seven months.”
A father of five remembered
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Shaquan leaves behind five children, including a two-year-old son. Family members describe him as a devoted father who loved spending time with his kids, riding his bike, painting, cutting grass, and helping elderly neighbors run errands.
“For seven months, we watched him lay in a hospital bed,” his family said. “He couldn’t walk, he couldn’t talk, he couldn’t feed himself. That’s not who he was.”
Family members say they tried to shield his children from the severity of his condition. The last time the children saw their father was just before doctors removed him from life support.
“They kept asking, ‘Where’s my dad?’” a relative said. “That was their first and last time seeing him since the accident.”
What the family says happened
According to the family, witnesses told them Shaquan was riding his bicycle in a turning lane when a vehicle came from behind and struck him, then continued driving.
“They didn’t stop. They didn’t come back. They didn’t turn themselves in,” a family member said. “If somebody hadn’t stopped to help him, he would have died right there.”
The family says witnesses described a Polaris Slingshot style vehicle involved in the crash and even reported seeing it earlier that evening at a nearby grocery store. They say store management told them surveillance footage was available, but no one ever came to review it.
“They had descriptions. They had leads,” the family said. “But nobody followed up.”
Months of silence
Family members say they repeatedly contacted Montgomery Police in the weeks following the crash but struggled to get answers.
They say they were told the case was not classified as a homicide and were redirected between departments. The last communication they recall receiving was in early June — just weeks after the crash.
“It’s been months of being in the dark,” the family said. “No updates. No calls back.”
MPD response
In a statement to WSFA 12 News, Montgomery police said:
“This incident is not classified as a traffic fatality case. There is no additional information available for release.”
The family says that response has been difficult to understand, especially now that Shaquan has died.
Funeral costs and call for help
As they prepare to lay Shaquan to rest, his family says they are facing the added burden of funeral expenses, which they are paying out of pocket.
They are asking anyone who wishes to help to make donations directly to the funeral home.
Donations can be made to: Ross & Clayton Funeral Home Contributions can be made in person or by phone, and donors may remain anonymous.
The family says they are not asking for handouts — only support during a time they say never should have happened.
“He was on his way home,” a relative said. “Seven blocks away.”
A plea for answers
Above all, the family is asking anyone with information about the crash to come forward.
“If you know anything — anything at all — please speak up,” a family member said. “Think about those kids.”
Montgomery Police say anyone with information can contact the department’s Traffic Investigations Unit or Crime Stoppers.
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