The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL


Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A 15-YEAR-OLD honour roll student was knocked unconscious and left with multiple serious injuries after being struck by a car while trying to escape two dogs on Robinson Road, an incident that has left his mother demanding accountability from the driver.

Dino Pinto Jr suffered injuries to his face, a broken bone near his spine, a broken kneecap and an ankle injury after he was hit shortly before 7am on Friday while on his way to work.

Speaking to The Tribune from his hospital bed, the R M Bailey High School student said he had been walking along the sidewalk when two dogs tried to attack him.

He said several vehicles stopped to allow him to cross the double-lane road, but another vehicle overtook one of the stopped cars and struck him.

“I became unconscious, and I woke up in the hospital,” Dino said, adding that he remembers nothing after being hit.

Dino had been working at an electric store before he was due to begin his official summer job at the Ministry of Agriculture today. Instead, he remains in hospital recovering from his injuries.

His mother, Nakaya Knowles, said she understands that accidents happen but was deeply upset by what she described as the driver’s lack of concern after her son was struck.

Ms Knowles said she received a call from a motorist who witnessed the collision and stopped to assist Dino.

“My heart dropped,” she said. “I just went into instant shock. I jumped up and I just throw on a dress as a skirt.”

She said she drove quickly to the scene while praying that her son was alive.

Ms Knowles said she later walked several houses down to speak with the driver, who remained in her vehicle.

According to Ms Knowles, the driver said she was in shock.

Ms Knowles said she politely asked for the driver’s name and contact information so she could understand how the incident happened, but the woman refused.

She said the driver told her she would not provide her information because she did not want to be “harassed” and that the insurance company would deal with the matter.

“She said, ‘I’m not giving you my name because I don’t want to be on Facebook’,” Ms Knowles said.

The mother said officers at the scene assured her they would speak with the driver.

Holding back tears, Ms Knowles said her greatest hurt was that the driver had not contacted her or checked on Dino’s condition.

“You’re supposed to reach out to me,” she said. “You don’t even come to the hospital or call the hospital to find out the status of that child. That’s my only hurt. This ain’t about money. My child is a child, not a pay check. He ain’t an animal, he’s a human being.”

Dino also said he was upset that the driver did not appear to show concern for him despite remaining at the scene.

He stressed that he would not have entered the road had vehicles not stopped to allow him to cross.

“This woman didn’t want to stop,” he said. “She just keep going. I feel that she could’ve stop. She could’ve at least apologise or something. Because my eye hurting and I have whole bandage over my whole eye. I in a cast, my spine almost broken.”

The teenager said he is relying on his faith as he hopes to recover and return to his normal life.

“I feel distraught. I have school in September,” he said.

The incident drew widespread attention after Ms Knowles posted a live video on Facebook about what happened. By press time, the video had received more than 1,000 shares and comments.