Fort Worth police are searching for the driver of a black SUV who struck and ran over an 8‑year‑old boy riding a bicycle last Friday in North Fort Worth, authorities said. Witnesses told investigators the driver exited the vehicle, looked at the injured child and then drove away.
The boy, identified by family as third‑grader Liam Park, suffered severe abrasions across his body and was taken to a hospital. Doctors confirmed he avoided broken bones and is expected to recover, police and the family told local media. Park told investigators and reporters that he momentarily lost his vision after the vehicle passed over him.
The crash occurred as the SUV negotiated a turn inside the Mercantile Square apartment complex, according to authorities and witnesses. Friends who were nearby rushed to Park, ran to his home and told his mother, Baylea Christiansen, that he had been hit. Christiansen said her son was helped by other children in the street until adults arrived.
Park told Fox4 Dallas he remembered going "under" the vehicle and that his vision blurred after the impact. "That’s really mean of them to just drive away and not check on me," he said. His father, Kyle Parker, described the family’s pain at seeing his son injured.
Fort Worth police said they have minimal information about the vehicle and driver. The department notified its Traffic Investigations Unit to take over the inquiry. Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact police to help identify the SUV and its driver.
Neighbors and friends have checked on the family, the local station reported. The boy’s mother urged anyone who saw the incident or who has information to come forward, saying she believes somebody must have seen what happened.
Police did not immediately release details about the SUV’s make or model beyond witnesses’ description of a black SUV, and they did not provide an update on any suspects as of Wednesday. The department also did not issue a statement on potential charges; hit‑and‑run incidents are typically investigated under state law and could lead to criminal charges depending on the outcome of the probe.
The incident has drawn attention in the apartment complex and among local residents concerned about street safety for children. Authorities said the public’s assistance is crucial to locating the driver and completing the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.