Hunt Continues For Hit-Skip Driver
As Reported by Maureen Kocot 10TV, July 16, 2005
Investigators are working to track down the river who hit a teenager along state route 104 in Pickaway County Thursday night. They now believe the vehicle involved is a 1992 to 1996 Ford F-series pickup truck.
Ryan Hewitt is 19 years old. He is fighting for his life after a hit-and-run driver ran off the road, struck the teen, skidded off the guard rail and just kept going. The driver may not know it, but he or she didn't make a clean getaway.
John Sheaf, who helped the victim, says, " My mailbox is across the street and I noticed the gentleman's truck broke down up on top of the hill when I went over there."
No sooner than when Sheaf made it back inside his house, he heard a thud.
Investigators believe Hewitt was walking to the auto body shop just 100-yards away when a car struck him.
"He was hit from the back. He didn't even know what hit him because he was walking up to the garage. Whoever did this is a low life. It's low. It's horrible."
Sheaf says the teen was unresponsive and convulsing violently. He and other good Samaritans held the young man until help arrived.
"It's the saddest thing in the world seeing his face like that. One minute he's walking down the road, the next minute he has no idea where he's at." says Sheaf.
The hit-and-run driver did leave behind evidence.
Police were able to scrape paint samples off of the guard rail. Investigators now know the car was red and likely has damage to the right front panel.
Sheaf is still holding out hope the driver will do the right thing.
"I hope it gets to you. If it doesn't, you're the lowest life I know, I'm sorry. That's just the way I feel about it." says Sheaf.
Hewitt was in critical condition at Grant Medical Center on Friday [July 15,2005]. Anyone with information about the hit-and-run accident is being urged to call the Pickaway County sheriff's Office.