Family seeks justice for man struck on SR 520 by hit-and-run driver in Seattle
Family launches fundraiser after near-fatal crash on SR 520 in Seattle
A driver responsible for hitting and nearly killing a man on State Route 520 last month is still on the loose.
SEATTLE - A driver responsible for nearly killing a man on State Route 520 last month is still on the loose.
Dontrell Green, 20, was hit in early April after he got out of his own car to go get help near Montlake Boulevard. He remains hospitalized at Harborview Medical Center, fighting for his life after receiving a traumatic brain injury.
"Dontrell is such a great kid. He’s great to other people. He always made the family laugh," said Catherine Sanderson, Dontrell’s mom. He is pictured below.
Dontrell, set to turn 21 at the end of the month, was looking forward to celebrating his birthday at home with his mom, Catherine, and older brother Jordan.
"He was always there for all of us," said Catherine.
The three were all born on back-to-back dates.
"We were all really excited to spend those milestone birthdays together," said Catherine.
Now the future is unclear after Dontrell nearly died on April 6 at around 12:50 am. That's when the Washington State Patrol says a driver hit him on SR 520 near Montlake Boulevard as his girlfriend looked on in horror.
"She saw it happen and held him until the ambulance came," said Catherine. "It’s the worst call a parent can get. His girlfriend called me hysterical."
WSP said that Dontrell lost control of his vehicle and hit a median or barrier, then got out and jumped over a median in order to walk for help.
That's when a car, thought to be a Prius, hit him, leaving a piece of what looks like a headlight behind. Investigators note there appears to be red paint on it, as if the car was spray-painted.
"I don’t know how you just hit someone and leave them there," said Catherine.
Family members created an online fundraiser to help Dontrell with medical expenses. They say his brain injury is one of the most severe a crash victim can experience, based on the medical rating system for patients with those injuries.
The fundraiser states; "Dontrell suffered a severe traumatic brain injury - a grade 3 DAI - and remains in critical condition in the Neuro ICU at Harborview Medical Center. His prognosis is uncertain as he continues to receive ongoing intensive care. But what we do know is that the road ahead will be long, difficult, and life-altering."
"He’ll squeeze your hand. Some days, it seems he is thoughtful about that, and some days, it seems less clear. So, it's promising," said Keanu, Dontrell's cousin.
The family holds onto hope that he'll be able to celebrate a birthday at home once again, and regain some quality of life.
"He loved his family and he loved his siblings more than anything in the world, so we just wanted him to be OK. We just wanted him to be OK," said Catherine.
Troopers say that the suspect's car might be partially spray-painted red. It was also described as a silver 2004-2009 Toyota Prius with possible damage to the front left side, and it may also be missing a front left headlight.
Family members tell FOX 13 that they were hoping images from a nearby toll camera could help ID the driver or car. But, so far, they say investigators have told them that they've run into legal road blocks. FOX 13 reached out to WSP for more information on that, and we are waiting to hear back.
The Source: Information in this story came from Washington State Patrol, GoFundMe and original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.
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