In the expanse of Mecklenburg County, Virginia, a deadly tragedy unfolded on the afternoon of August 28, 2025, shattering the calm of Interstate 85. At approximately 3:47 p.m., Virginia State Police responded to a chilling report of a shooting along the northbound lanes at mile marker 5. What they discovered was a scene of chaos: a Honda Civic veered off the road, resting in a culvert, its driver—a 20-year-old named Hunter Bates—lifeless from a gunshot wound. A female passenger, caught in the violent ordeal, was rushed to a local hospital but has since been released. Now, authorities are locked in a tense manhunt for 19-year-old Jason Allen Glidewell II, a Bracey resident accused of this brazen act of violence, deemed armed and dangerous.
The incident, which has gripped Southside Virginia, began with a burst of gunfire that ended Bates’ life and sent shockwaves through the community. Virginia State Police, spearheaded by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Appomattox Field Office, have named Glidewell as the prime suspect. Standing at 5 feet 7 inches and weighing around 160 pounds, he faces charges of second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Authorities believe he fled the scene in a silver 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche, bearing Virginia license plate TFN 1004, and may have ties to Richmond and Henrico, broadening the scope of the search.
As the investigation deepens, details remain scarce about the moments leading up to the shooting. Was it a random act of violence, a targeted attack, or the result of a heated roadside confrontation? Police are urging the public to come forward with any information, emphasizing Glidewell’s potential threat. “He is considered armed and dangerous,” a Virginia State Police spokesperson stated, a warning that has residents on edge and law enforcement on high alert.
The tragedy along Interstate 85 is not an isolated incident for the region, which has seen its share of violence on this stretch of highway. Just last year, a separate fatal shooting in nearby Dinwiddie County claimed the life of 19-year-old T’Miya Ornique Murphy, highlighting the persistent dangers of gun violence on Virginia’s roadways. For now, the focus remains on Glidewell, whose whereabouts are unknown, leaving a community grappling with grief and fear.
Hunter Bates, described by those close to him as a vibrant young man with a promising future, leaves behind a void that his family and friends are struggling to comprehend. As the search for Glidewell intensifies, authorities are combing through leads, from surveillance footage to witness accounts, hoping to piece together the events that led to this senseless loss. The public is urged to contact Virginia State Police with any information that could bring justice for Bates and closure for a reeling community.
In Mecklenburg County, where the hum of traffic along Interstate 85 is a constant, this tragedy serves as a stark reminder of life’s fragility. The hunt for Jason Allen Glidewell II continues, with every passing hour heightening the urgency to apprehend a suspect who has already proven himself capable of deadly violence.
