A 22-year-old man is fighting for his life after he was hit by a car while riding a scooter in the downtown area on Thursday night.
The victim was riding on the Fifth Avenue bike path when he was struck by a vehicle driving west on Ash Street at around 8:30 p.m., according to Officer Robert Heims of the San Diego Police Department.
Luci Gurtner says the victim is her nephew.
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“We are broken right now," Gurtner told NBC 7. "We are devastated, and we’re just hoping that he does survive.”
The victim sustained a skull fracture and a brain bleed, Heims said. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment of injuries police said were considered life-threatening.
“He’s not even speaking right now. He’s not saying anything. He’s just blurring words out and incoherent,” Gurtner said.
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The driver who fled the scene was believed to be driving an older model of a light blue or light green Toyota Camry with a cracked windshield from the collision, police said.
The driver could have entered onto southbound Interstate 5 from the on-ramp at Sixth Avenue.
A person claiming to be a witness, who only wanted to be identified as Billy, told NBC 7 he heard a loud noise outside at the time of the incident.
When Billy went outside, he found the scooter in the middle of the road.
"When I approached the corner, I saw a gentleman face down just with his head, a gash open like forehead to the top of the cranium," he explained.
The victim's family is asking the driver to come forward. They are clinging to their faith and hoping for a full recovery.
"Our family needs answers for my nephew," Gurtner said. "We want a miracle."
At this time, police have not officially released the name of the victim.
