Teen hit by truck while in wheelchair; no tickets leads to outrage

DOWAGIAC, Mich. - A teenager was hit by a truck while crossing a busy intersection in his wheelchair Monday.

The accident happened just after 5 p.m. at East Division St. & West Railroad Street.

Anthony Davis, 19, was crossing West Railroad St. at the time. Davis was halfway across the street when he was hit by a truck.

"I got hit and ejected from my chair," Davis recalls.

The driver of the truck, Diane Lovelace was not injured, she was also not given a ticket for the accident.

"I believe she should have got a ticket for endangering my son's life and reckless driving, she wasn't paying attention," Anthony's mom, Karrie Tartt said.

Lovelace, failed to yield a pedestrian and is to blame for the crash according to the police report by the Dowagiac Police Department.

An officer told ABC 57 News Wednesday that citations are issued by the investigating officer, it was taken into consideration that Davis was no injured on the scene of the crash.

Davis was checked out by EMT's but was not taken to the hospital.

Tuesday Davis was taken by him mom to the hospital for severe bruising on his right side of his body, bruising that was caused when his wheelchair fell over.

According to Davis he was thrown several feet from his wheelchair. Officers report that he was in his wheelchair by the time they arrived.

"I just want her to know what she did was wrong," Davis said.

He and his mother are upset that Lovelace has made no effort to get in touch with them.

"She didn't even give us her insurance information at the time," Said Davis.

ABC 57 News got in touch with Lovelace on the telephone Wednesday night, she declined an on camera or over the phone interview but said she was very upset by the accident and wishes that it had never happened.

Lovelace said that she apologized several times at the scene of the accident and even offered up her gloves for Davis to wear while help was on the way. She said she also offered to take him to the hospital.

Lovelace said she had been in touch with her insurance company but didn't say whether they were going to pay for the damaged wheelchair.

Tartt said  a new wheelchair costs $6,000, but admitted that she isn't sure how much it will cost to get Anthony's chair fixed.

"I'm just lucky to be alive," Davis said.