Theandra Holtby remembers the moment she found out someone had struck her teenage son with a vehicle on a Richmond street and allegedly drove away.
Since the collision on the Jan. 10, Holtby tells CityNews her son Myles has been in the ICU in a medically induced coma.
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The Richmond RCMP was called to the area of No. 3 Road near Browngate Road, just before 11:30 p.m.
Upon arrival, officers found the teenager unconscious and bleeding, and paramedics transported him to hospital.
Holtby says she was in Victoria and woken around midnight with the horrible news.
“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 described.
Holtby says Myles was attending a party in Richmond before the incident. He reportedly suffered several siezures on his way to the hospital, requiring the coma, as well as brain bleeds, bone fractures, and a punctured lung.
The RCMP says the driver of the vehicle did not remain on the scene, which it describes as a “serious offence.”
Mounties say that the hit-and-run followed an altercation near the roadway, and police are also investigating an alleged assault causing bodily harm in relation to that altercation.
Investigators believe that Myles was struck with a dark-coloured 2014 to 2019 Ford Fiesta, which, because of the incident, might be damaged around its front end.
Police say they are aware of several videos on social media, purporting to show the incident, but said they couldn’t confirm the authenticity of those videos.
One such video shows a group of people running across the street, in an apparent altercation, before one of them is struck down.
“There were a lot of individuals involved with regard to the original altercation,” said Sgt. Pak Yim.
“Our investigation is still ongoing, which includes talking to all the witnesses that might have been involved.”
The Richmond RCMP is asking anyone who witnessed the incident or has dashcam footage to call 604-278-1212.
Holtby says Myles’ recovery will be monitored day by day. Until his return home, she says the memory of his smile will remain on her mind.
“He’s just got the best smile.”
In response to the incident, a family member has set up a fundraiser to support Holtby and her family. As of Tuesday afternoon, the GoFundMe page has already raised over $13,000.
—With files from Jan Schuermann and David Nadalini
