Brooklyn Park Family Pleads Hit-And-Run Driver Who Struck 17-Year-Old Son To Come Forward
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - A Brooklyn Park family is asking the driver of a hit-and-run to come forward after they struck their 17-year-old son last week.
The incident happened at the four-way stop intersection of 63rd Avenue North and Winnetka Avenue North. Brooklyn Park Police say the driver was in a white SUV.
On Sept. 2, 17-year-old Savion Coleman was biking back from his friends home when he stopped at the intersection.
"I knew there were cars coming, but there's a stop sign right there so I assumed they were going to stop like they are supposed to," Savion said.
Before the teen could make a right turn on Winnetka Avenue, he found himself being dragged under the wheel of the white SUV.
"When I got hit, I fell off my bike. I hit my head on the curb, that's when I realized I've been hit," said Savion.
Witnesses told police the driver was signaling left even though he made a right turn. They say someone else was in the car too. The driver drove off.
Savion's mom, Leora Mattox got the phone call about the incident from Savion's friend, who was with him at the time. Mattox called the police and her son was taken to the emergency room. Savion sustained leg injuries and a concussion.
"He's got PTSD now. I'm scared to let him out and he's almost 18-years-old," she said.
Mattox said unfortunately drivers in the area and neighbors didn't come out to help Savion.
"I was really sad. It hurt a lot. I don't understand that because I would help anybody. I've been going through a lot and so has he, we're trying to figure everything out. It's not fun," said Mattox.
Neighbors living nearby tell WCCO the intersection has been a problem area for years.
"A lot of people just fly through that intersection like there's no stop signs at all," explained Daniel Anderson. "My biggest concern is someone's going to get hit and get killed."
Anderson hopes the city can do something about the intersection to alleviate the speeding.
"They just raised the speed limit on 63rd Ave. to 35 mph, so instead of solving the problem, they just added to it, as far as I'm concerned," said Anderson.
WCCO reached out to the Brooklyn Park city transportation engineer and did not hear back.
Due to injuries, Mattox said her son will have a tough first week at school. She's calling for justice in hopes this doesn't happen to another child.
"Just slow down please, for our children, just slow down," Mattox said.
