ACTON, Mass. — Police say they have located the vehicle that allegedly struck a teen student who was walking in a crosswalk in Acton on Wednesday night, leaving him hospitalized with critical injuries.
The hit-and-run crash happened in the crosswalk at Great Road and Harris Street around 6:15 p.m., according to Acton Police.
Officers and firefighters both rushed to the area of Route 2A and found Cesar Soto, Jr., 13, suffering from serious injuries.
Soto was flown to a Boston hospital, where he underwent surgery and remains in a coma, his family told Boston 25 on Friday morning.
“He went through surgery...Doctors say he’s stable,” Soto’s brother said. “We’re picking up the pieces, holding on together. We’re all praying.”
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Based on the initial investigation, police believe it was a black sedan, possibly a Nissan, that hit the teen and fled.
Thursday, police released surveillance video of a black SUV. They also released an image of a sedan that was spotted in the area at the time of the crash.
Boston 25 obtained one video showing three teens walking by a business right before the 13-year-old was hit. A car dealer’s surveillance camera captured two boys and a girl cutting through their lot just feet from the crash scene.
Another nearby pet store told us the girl in the video bought some items for her cat, so it appears they may have been on their way back home when the hit-and-run crash occurred.
Erica Labb stopped her car and ran over with a blanket. Other people were already helping the boy. “Just brought the blanket over. There were other people there with the child which made me feel good about humanity,” said Labb.
The victim is a student at RJ Grey Junior High School, according to officials, and is continuing to receive care for his injuries.
In a statement, the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District said, “our thoughts and prayers are with the student and the family. Counselors and other school staff have met with individual students who have needed additional support during the day.”
We talked to one woman who uses the same crosswalk every day and described a close call she had recently. “An older woman stopped for me and four cars rear ended her,” said the woman.
State Senator Jamie Eldridge says they just met with state highway officials about making these crosswalks safer after a fatal pedestrian incident several weeks ago. “Have lit crosswalks, it could be a red light crosswalk, it could be blinking yellow lights and then better signage and better lights so the cars can see the lights at night,” said Eldridge.
Friday, a longtime Acton business owner announced a $5,000 reward to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of the driver.
Jeff Bursaw, the 4th-generation owner of Bursaw Gas and Oil on Great Road in Acton, said he is offering the reward because the crash victim’s older brother is a valued employee, and that the news of what happened brought him to tears.
“The driver hasn’t been identified yet so I want to try to rustle the leaves up a little bit,” Bursaw said. “Somebody out there has to know something and hopefully this will help prompt them to come forward.”
Acton Police say the investigation remains active and ongoing.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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