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SAN DIEGO - A 13-year-old boy is recovering after being struck by a hit-and-run driver while riding his electric scooter in North Park on Sunday afternoon.Dominic Faulkner was preparing to cross at Upas and Pershing when he says a black SUV driving recklessly struck him in the crosswalk, sending him flying across the intersection.
'Black car comes out of nowhere. I think it's going to stop behind the white car and then switches into the wrong lane,' Dominic said.Dominic says the SUV was cutting in front of another car at a stop sign before hitting him on the side, as he tried to speed up on his scooter more than halfway through the crosswalk.Surveillance video captured the sound of the collision and the sound of bystanders yelling as the SUV drove off, leaving the unconscious teenager behind.'It was black, and I remember opening my eyes, and I was carrying my scooter,' Dominic said.At the hospital, doctors diagnosed him with a concussion along with road rash on his arm and leg. Dominic had his helmet with him, but isn't sure if he was wearing it during the crash.Still dealing with light sensitivity from the concussion, Dominic says the driver's actions are deeply upsetting.'It's hurtful ... people do same thing to roadkill and stuff, and then drive off,' he said.Dominic's mother, Stephanie Melanese, hopes sharing her son's story will lead to tips and an arrest.'The message is he should have stopped and helped,' Melanese said. 'It's not human to just take off after hitting a child.”Police say it appears the driver failed to yield to a pedestrian and briefly approached the Dominic, but then left. The vehicle is described as a dark, smaller-sized SUV, possibly a black Hyundai SUV.Anyone with information can call Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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