13-year-old hospitalized following hit-and-run in Sequim

Sequim police are searching for the driver in a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a 13-year-old boy.

On Monday, investigators said the teen was struck in the 600 block of W. Spruce Street around 9 p.m.

“He was out skateboarding with his friends at Spring Break, so I allowed him to go out with his friends. And a car came down and just hit him and ran,” said Cherie Tachell, mother of the victim.

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The victim, 13-year-old Colton, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center with a fractured pelvis and a fractured skull.

“They had him pumped full of medicine, his face was completely road-rashed, and they drilled a hole in his head; it was horrifying,” said Tachell.

She says Colton’s friends were focused on taking care of him before medics arrived.

“Held him and put his shirt around his head to hold the wound in. The other two kids ran to get help,” she explained.

Tachell told KIRO 7 that Colton likely won’t return to school this year. She said he’s on a long road to recovery.

“He needs speech and therapy, cognitive training, which will be going to Seattle Children’s to finish the rehabilitation there,” she said.

As an athlete, an artist, and friend to so many, she’s afraid life for her 7th grader won’t be the same.

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“His passion is football, and so I just am afraid that he’s gonna get that taken away from him, and I don’t know what’s gonna happen,” said Tachell.

If you’d like to help with Colton’s road to recovery, click here for the family’s GoFundMe.

Sequim police say they’re working with the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office and Washington State Patrol to find the driver and vehicle.

If you have any information regarding this incident, contact the Sequim Police Department at (360) 683-7227 or via email at ContactSPD@sequimwa.gov.