MALVERN, AR – Local residents and parents are angry over the release of a hit and run suspect Friday afternoon after a teen was left injured.
“We have people flying down this road and flying through the stop sign,” says Rebecca Cooper.
The accident happened on Thursday night while two teenagers pushed a third person down Highland Avenue on a dirt bike.
“He hit John. He stopped for a quick second then hit John, hit the bike, and then with the back tires hit John,” says Cooper.
Lt. Doye DelaCruz with the Malvern Police Department said the suspect came from behind, hit the victim, stopped and sped off.
The suspect, Brian Hartman, 20, was later arrested for first degree battery.
He bonded out on Friday afternoon, upsetting parents like Rebecca Ballew-Cooper, who is the mother of one of the witnesses.
“Now he is out walking the streets? That’s not fair. The kid is up there fighting for his life and he can’t be out walking the streets, so why should he,” said Cooper.
Cooper said her 13-year-old son was able to jump out of the way before the suspect hit the victim and the dirt bike before stopping, but then speeding off again.
The victim was airlifted to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock.
Now Cooper and the community are praying for a speedy recovery for the injured teen.