Coon Rapids Man Charged In Hit-&-Run
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The man suspected in a hit-and-run incident that seriously injured a 9-year-old boy on a bicycle has been charged -- but not yet arrested.
Police say 32-year-old Nathan Wade Boese, of Coon Rapids, was charged with criminal vehicular operation and leaving the scene of a crime for the hit-and-run crash on June 13.
Authorities say the accident happened around 7 p.m. at the intersection of 111th and Kumquat streets in Coon Rapids. The 9-year-old boy, later identified as Amir Taylor, was hit as he was riding his bike to the park. The truck that hit the boy then fled the scene.
Taylor was severely injured and taken to the hospital. He was transferred on Tuesday to the Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare to continue his rehabilitation. He is currently listed in fair condition.
"There are still a lot of unanswered questions, but today we are one step closer to knowing what really happened," said Taylor's mother, Ravesha Harris.
Witnesses described the truck as a black, mid-90s Chevy Z-71 pickup truck. They said the truck suffered damage to the driver's side door and side mirror.
Police say Boese called an auto body repair shop on June 14, saying he needed some work done on his truck and would pay cash. He arrived by 11 a.m. with the truck and said he needed the driver's side mirror replaced and the windshield needed repair. He also inquired about repairing the driver's door dents.
The repair shop, who had seen the media coverage of the incident, contacted police. When police arrived, they observed the vehicle and noted that the Z-71 stickers appeared to be recently removed. Boese also matched the general physical description from witnesses at the scene of the hit-and-run.
The truck was examined and an area was tested for the presence of blood. The test from the driver's side door came back positive for blood.
Police learned that later on the evening of the hit-and-run, Boese drove to his girlfriend's place of employment in the warehouse area of Minneapolis. Video surveillance showed Boese arriving in the same truck, which appears to have damage. The video further showed Boese interacting with his girlfriend, Boese wiping or rubbing the area of the truck where the impact with the child is said to have occurred, the truck being moved and Boese leaving in his girlfriend's car.
A search of Boese's house in Coon Rapids discovered clothing and a hat matching what was seen in the surveillance video.
Later, a witness from the hit-and-run scene was shown a photo lineup and identified Boese as the man who was driving the truck that struck the child.
Police say authorities contacted Boese on Friday, June 22. He told police he was "out of town" and that they would have to find him. An attorney claiming to represent Boese later called and said Boese would turn himself in upon issuance of a warrant.
Taylor was on life-support from June 13 through June 16. He recently regained consciousness and has begun therapy. The long-term effects of the injuries are currently unknown.
