TACOMA, Wash. — A Puyallup teenager is learning how to walk after he was hit by a vehicle while trick-or-treating in Tacoma on Halloween night.
Fourteen-year-old C.J. has spent nearly three months at multiple hospitals after a crash left him fighting for his life.
The teenager was trick-or-treating with his friends for the first time without his family.
After his parents had dropped him off at his friends, they immediately rushed to the crash scene, near A Street and South 96th Street, when they heard the devastating news.
Surveillance video shows a vehicle slamming into the teenager after he took a few steps into the crosswalk.
“It was heartbreaking. It feels like somebody pretty much yanked your heart out,” said Chris Billings, father.
When the parents arrived at the scene, they said they quickly discovered a stranger, who witnessed the crash, holding their son’s hand as they waited for medics to arrive.
“I wanted to take his pain away. I wanted him to be okay and that’s all I could think of. Please be okay. Please be okay,” said Ronni Billings, mother. “I was really really grateful that he (stranger) stayed to make sure he was okay. He stayed the whole time until the ambulance got there.”
The parents told KIRO 7 News that they had asked police to test the driver, who hit their son, for alcohol and drugs, however, the driver allegedly did not appreciate the parent’s request.
“When the lady heard me talk to the police about that, she became irate, unbelievable. She tried fighting me and my wife. She tried to jump through police to get to us,” Chris Billings said.
The father added that he became upset after police decided to not test the driver, especially on Halloween night.
“Especially when you know there’s going to be a lot of kids and families out there, what are you in a rush to do?” he asked. “He (detective) told me that the officer felt like she was not impaired in any way, and they don’t have to do this for any accident. I told him this ain’t any accident. My son is fighting for his life right now,” Chris added.
KIRO 7 News reached out to the Tacoma Police Department to get more details about the investigation and when officers test drivers for impairment.
We’re still waiting to hear back.
While C.J. has a long road ahead of him, he has made significant progress throughout the last several weeks by learning how to walk and talk again after undergoing four surgeries for his broken skull, eye socket, ribs and leg.
While the teenager still has one more surgery left, the family said they’re grateful their son is one step closer to returning home.
“Glad to see he has no quit in him,” the father said.
A GoFundMe was created to help the family with their son’s medical bills. If you’d like to help, please click here.