HEMET: Autistic boy, 9, seriously injured when struck by vehicle near Whittier Elementary

HEMET — Officials are investigating a vehicle versus pedestrian traffic collision after a car struck and seriously injured a nine-year-old, Autistic boy, Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 5. The accident happened across the street from Whittier Elementary School, in the area of S. Gilbert Street and W. Montrose Avenue, in Hemet.

City of Hemet Police and Fire personnel and other emergency first responders were dispatched to the scene of the accident about 2:42 p.m., after motorists and witnesses called 911 to report the injury collision.

When officials arrived just minutes after the dispatched call, they found the victim still on the ground in the roadway.

Firefighter/paramedics evaluated and treated the young victim, quickly determining he had suffered broken bones and other injuries when he was hit by the passing car.

American Medical Response medics transported the victim to Hemet Valley Medical Center for further evaluation and treatment. However, unhappy with the care being provided to her son at HVMC, the victim’s mother later drove the boy to Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta.

The boy’s mother, Lorena Doñate, later identified Adrian Davila as the victim who was struck and injured by the car.

“My son’s in a lot of pain with several broken bones but I’m just thankful he’s OK,” Doñate explained in a private message several hours after the accident.

“One of his femurs is fractured and the knee cap of his other leg is broken, but it could have been a lot worse,” said Doñate.

According to Doñate, her son – who is a fourth grader and attends Little Lake Elementary – was being watched at her mom’s residence when he jumped over a fence separating her mother’s yard from S. Gilbert Street.

Doñate’s sister, who had been watching the nine-year-old, tried to catch Davila and stop him before he ran into the street; however, she was not able to stop him before he ran into after-school traffic and was struck by a car being driven southbound on Gilbert Street.

“School had just gotten out and there was lots of traffic and my sister said (my son) was struck by a car that was travelling about 15 mph,” Doñate explained. The impact knocked Davila to the ground and he tried, but couldn’t get up afterwards.

Doñate said that after hitting her son the driver of the car stopped, remained at the scene and was cooperating with officers investigating the collision.

Doñate also said her son is being transferred to Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego for further treatment.

Officials have not yet released any information regarding the collision or their ongoing investigation.

Robert Carter/Public Safety Incidents video

 

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Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.