Phoenix man appeals for help after hit-and-run incident
Manuel Ortíz recently purchased a scooter to improve his mobility but is now unable to use it due to a recent incident.
PHOENIX — A Phoenix man is reaching out to the community after being brutally struck by a car on Sunday.
Manuel Ortíz, a resident of Phoenix, stated that he was hit by a vehicle while crossing the street on his electric scooter at 75th Avenue and Lower Buckeye around 10:30 a.m.
“I was just trying to get my medication and some food for my dog,” said Ortíz.
Ortíz explained that he was traveling east on Lower Buckeye, crossed the median on his scooter, and as he approached the end of the pedestrian crossing, a white Cadillac in the eastbound turn lane hit him.
“They hit the front of my electric scooter, causing me to crash into the driver’s side fender, which rolled me up and over the car,” Ortíz recalled. “When I got up, the driver was already gone, and I couldn’t see the plate of who was driving.”
Ortíz stated that he sustained injuries including scrapes and swelling on his palm, and the hit-and-run aggravated a pre-existing back condition.
“Before this, I had a crushed disc in the middle of my back,” Ortíz said. “I have spinal stenosis, so I have medical issues that lead me to use this scooter. I can’t work because of these issues, and that’s why I have it.”
Fortunately, there was a witness who saw the incident, and another person came out to help treat his wounds before paramedics arrived.
Ortíz hopes that sharing his experience will raise awareness and promote responsible driving practices.
- White Cadillac
- Unpolarized windows
- Light or beige interior
- Arizona license plate
- Yellow cover on the license plate
“If you leave the scene of the accident, you make an even bigger mistake,” Ortíz said. “What if they hit me very hard, if I’ve been hospitalized, or if I’m dead?”
Ortíz wants the responsible party to take accountability.
“I’m not trying to do anything that would get someone arrested and put them in jail for a long time,” Ortíz said. “I just want them to pay for my scooter.”
The Phoenix Police Department is currently investigating the collision.
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