Hit-and-run victim: Suspect needs to 'man up' and come forward
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PORTLAND, Ore. – A 14-year-old Salem girl who was seriously injured in a hit-and-run crash last week says the driver needs to “man up” and come forward.
Kathryn Staudinger is recovering at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland. She was walking with a friend across Lancaster Drive SE at Durbin Avenue in Salem on Friday night when the truck driver tried to beat a red light and hit her, police said. The walk signal was on when the two girls were in the crosswalk.
“When I saw the truck, I just froze and I didn’t do anything,” she said. “I was hoping he would swerve, but he didn’t. He just kept going.”
Staudinger said she was knocked unconscious in the crash. The truck was gone when she woke up on the pavement. Witnesses said the driver didn't even slow down.
“It’s not right for somebody to hit a child and then think that it’s OK if they don’t say anything,” said Staudinger. “He obviously knows that he hit me and he just needs to man up and say that it was him and take blame for it.”
Staudinger suffered a broken leg, broken wrist, four broken ribs and a ruptured spleen. She said her friend found plastic from a headlight in her hair after the crash, so she thinks the truck has front-end damage.
“I’m doing better than I was when I first got hit,” she said.
Investigators are looking for a 1980s Ford pickup truck, possibly an F150, with front-end damage on its right side. Different witnesses described the color as light brown, tan or possibly rusty. The truck had been lifted and had loud exhaust pipes.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call Marion County Sheriff's Deputy Stacy Rejaian at 503-576-0651.
was it you that hit her and drove off lo pan????
Please, commenters, remember that this is a 14 year old girl you are writing about. She reads these responses. Try to be encouraging rather than tearing her apart for doing nothing wrong. She is a volleyball player and honor roll student. Her HS and Jr HS teachers have nothing but positive things to say about her, as well as her friends and their parents. Please be considerate of her feelings and refrain from blaming her (she was not int he wrong, the driver was) and her appearance is irrelevant. Besides, she is a beautiful girl :)
Kathryn is a wonderful girl with a very positive outlook on her life, despite being a victim of a reckless driver. Interviews are edited for the most impact and may not tell the entire story. If you speak with her you will know how awesome she is and how responsible and thoughtful, as well. Please show your support for Kathryn: https://www.facebook.com/StandWithKathrynÂ
What kind of parent lets their 14 year old get a nose piercing? The kind that makes them wait until 16 to get a bj stud?
That being said, let this be a painful lesson to all. Just because the light is green, doesn't always mean it's ok to go.Â
Always be on the lookout for the idiot that will risk your life over 10 feet of pavement.
After driving Lancaster last weekend - I would be more concerned about allowing anyone of any age to cross. Far more dangerous than a piercing.Â
@Lo Pan The kind of parent who doesn't see a nose piercing as fundamentally different than an ear piercing?
I agree that hit-and-run drivers are cowardly. Â But this girl has much work to do in the way of recovery and should refocus her attention on making herself well....hopefully the justice system will find the driver and take care of that part of the issue. Â IMO, she should focus on the positive rather than the negative. Â Maybe she's doing that, but this is the second story I've seen where she's concentrating on the guy/gal that hit her.
I have to think that is the spin the reporter was wanting...... Though I am a little older than 14 and I would have a hard time not focusing on a dirtbag man/woman who would hit someone and drive off.
Cowards that run from the scene of these accidents are either drunk, wanted by the law, illegal citizens, or are plain derelicts of society. Whatever the case, she is right....man up you POS coward.
Whose to say it's a man?!?
@DJK Figure of speech
Yeah, I guess a woman wouldnât man up the same way a man would, ordinarily that is.
Now thats kinky.
OK,,, this gal needs to MAN UP! (sounds kinky doesn't it) :)
Too many drivers out there who appear to believe they are the stars of "Need for Speed" or something. Â
Specifically this driver: Real life has NO "Do-Overs", no "Replay" button and NO escape from Justice, may the gods hear my prayer!
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this person is a low life......thats all we need to know
actually we need the name address and telephone number
Yeah! Turn yourself in and go to jail. COME ON!
Gee,,, I wonder if this was a woman. MAN UP ANYWAY!
@oodathunked That's what I was thinking when I read the headline.
comon you coward............man up and quit being a wuss.turn yourself in and face the music.
In my opinion, it is attempted Murder, and he should have his drivers License revoked, places in a cage, and the key lost. No one should have to be placed on Disability because of some one else using a vehicle as a murder weapon..
What law school did you go to?
@lee986321>Â 'he should have his drivers License revoked'
You're making the assumption that 'he' had one in the first place.Â
Fully agree with the sentiment, but I'm curious why the gender specificity exists in the article.Â
"man" up, I was hoping "he" would stop, but "he' just kept going. "he" needs to come forward.Â
Since we're going to go with predisposed judgements, given the area in which the crime occurred, I'm guessing that it's an uninsured driver. Personally, I wouldn't walk on Lancaster on a sunny day wearing neon colors. Let alone trying to cross at night.Â
@MarkKpic ~  I don't even like to DRIVE on Lancaster, let alone cross it on foot..!  I don't go there unless I have to... and South Commercial is almost as bad...Â
@margay1 @MarkKpic True, margay... The difference being that I strongly suspect there are fewer uninsured drivers on S Commercial on any given day.Â
@MarkKpic @margay1 ~  You are probably correct about that, Mark... Some of the drivers on So Commercial are just as stupid, but probably more of them are insured... Â
The other road I avoid whenever possible is Mission (Hwy 22 until it gets into Salem)... Â