The 9-year-old son of a Marine, wearing his helmet, survived after a car struck him outside of Murrieta school Wednesday, and now his father is hoping surveillance will track down the hit-and-run driver.
William Berglund, 9, was lucky to escape with minor injuries.
"The car was coming and then it hit me and I fell back," he said, describing the hit. "It was scary. I was in so much pain."
William was riding his bike to Lisa J. Mails Elementary School Wednesday morning.
Surveillance footage captured William at the corner of Briggs and Baxter roads when a silver sedan turns right onto Baxter, striking him as he rides into the crosswalk. The car takes off, leaving him unconscious in the roadway.
Soon after, William's father Charles, an active duty Camp Pendleton Marine first sergeant, got a call no parent ever wants to get.
"I freaked out and started getting really worried and nervous," Charles said.
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He was at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County when he got the call. He was relieved that his son only had some scratches and bruises.
But the relief quickly turned to anger when Charles heard the driver didn't stop.
"I just wanted to find out what could have possibly been going through your mind that you would want to leave anybody, much less a kid, after you struck them," Charles said.
William will have to get a new bike, but he and his father are just grateful he wasn't seriously hurt or killed.
They're hoping the hit-and-run driver will do the right thing.
"Please turn yourself in," Charles said. "Come back. Let us know you take responsibility for your actions."
California Highway Patrol investigators believe the driver is woman and the car is a silver Toyota or Acura.
Anyone with information on the hit-and-run or driver is encouraged to call CHP at 1-800-835-5247.
