Theandra Holtby vividly recalls the heart-wrenching moment she received the news that her teenage son had been hit by a vehicle in Richmond and left injured on the street.
Following the unfortunate collision on January 10th, Holtby shares with CityNews that her son, Myles, has been in a medically induced coma in the ICU.
The Richmond RCMP responded to the scene near No. 3 Road and Browngate Road just before 11:30 p.m., where they discovered the unconscious and bleeding teenager and rushed him to the hospital.
Receiving the devastating news while in Victoria, Holtby described her reaction as a mix of shock and despair. “I dropped to the ground and screamed, and cried, and threw up. And then I just paced back and forth, screaming for what felt like hours,” she recounted.
Myles had been at a party in Richmond before the incident occurred. On the way to the hospital, he experienced multiple seizures, leading to the coma, along with brain bleeds, bone fractures, and a punctured lung.
The RCMP labeled the hit-and-run as a serious offense, noting that the driver fled the scene following an altercation near the roadway. Additionally, an alleged assault causing bodily harm related to the altercation is being investigated by the police.
Investigations suggest that the vehicle involved in the incident was a dark-colored 2014 to 2019 Ford Fiesta, likely showing damage around its front end.
In light of the incident, various videos circulating on social media capturing the altercation have caught the attention of the authorities. However, the authenticity of these videos is yet to be confirmed.
Sgt. Pak Yim mentioned, “There were a lot of individuals involved with regard to the original altercation. Our investigation is still ongoing, which includes talking to all the witnesses that might have been involved.”
The Richmond RCMP urges anyone who witnessed the incident or possesses dashcam footage to reach out at 604-278-1212.
Holtby shared that Myles’ recovery progress is being closely monitored each day, and she holds onto memories of his infectious smile until he returns home.
“He’s just got the best smile,” she said.
In response to the tragic event, a family member initiated a fundraiser to aid Holtby and her family. The GoFundMe page has already raised over $13,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.