Man in wheelchair struck in Surrey hit and run

RCMP in Surrey, B.C., are looking for the driver of a dark purple import sedan that struck a young man in a wheelchair on Tuesday evening.

Jonathan Forero, 19, was heading westbound down the north side of 95A Avenue with his girlfriend shortly before 6 p.m. PT. The street has no sidewalk so he was rolling in his motorized wheelchair along the edge of the street.

Near the intersection with 133 Street, he was struck from behind by a car, throwing him three metres through the air.

"When I landed, I opened my eyes and I was just looking at the sky. I wasn't able to move, and when I tried to move I realized my shoulder and both of my legs were broken."

Surrey RCMP Corporal Bert Pacquet says the driver temporarily lost control of the vehicle before fleeing westbound on 132 Street.

Paquet says police have recovered vehicle parts from the scene which indicate the suspect vehicle possibly being dark purple in colour.

"Witnesses describe the vehicle as being a smaller, import sedan, similar to a Honda Civic. The vehicle will also have significant front end damage to the passenger side."

Forero used a wheelchair because he's had a brittle bone condition since birth. He's been on medication to make his bones stronger, with a goal of walking one day, but now he has months of recovery ahead of him first.

"Paquet calls the hit-and-run driver's actions heinous.

 “Any case of hit and run is upsetting, but even more so when the victim is in a wheelchair,” said Paquet. 

“We urge the driver to contact our investigators right away. It’s never too late to make a wrong right, and do the right thing.”

Police ask anyone with more information to contact the Surrey RCMP at 604-599-0502, or Crime Stoppers — if they wish to remain anonymous — at 1-800-222-TIPS.