UPDATE 11:20 a.m. Friday: An Arroyo Grande teen has undergone two surgeries and is recovering at Stanford Hospital after being hit by a truck while walking home earlier this week.
Fourteen-year-old Garrett Steil was airlifted to the Bay Area hospital late Tuesday, a few hours after he was struck while walking home with his skateboard on the east shoulder of Valley Road near Sunrise Terrace.
Two men killed in separate crashes in North County
UPDATE: Arroyo Grande woman killed in Highway 166 crash is identified
Alleged hit-and-run driver, and victim, both arrested after crash near SLO
Accident outside of Paso Robles slowed traffic
UPDATE: CHP identifies pedestrian killed in hit-and-run crash in Nipomo
According to a Facebook page set up by close family friends, Steil suffered facial fractures, a broken leg, torn spleen, and a torn aorta.
He had heart surgery Wednesday and surgery on his leg Thursday, said Dawn Zachmann, who has set up an account at Rabobank to help Steil’s parents, Scott Steil and Carrie Silva, cover expenses they’ll incur from staying in a hotel near the hospital, missing work, and other related costs.
“It’s really a sad situation,” Zachmann said. “But, he’s alive.”
According to the CHP, Steil was walking on Valley Road about 7:30 p.m. when he was hit by a 1994 Dodge pickup that was traveling north and veered onto the east shoulder of the road. Steil was first taken to Arroyo Grande Community Hospital and later airlifted to Stanford, Zachmann said.
The driver of the pickup, Jerry Philipps, was not injured or cited. Alcohol was not a factor in the crash, CHP officials said. More information about how the incident happened was not immediately available.
Zachmann is asking anyone who wants to get involved in a bake sale or other fundraising activities for Steil and his family to contact her at dawnzachmann@hotmail.com. Donations can be made to the “Dawn Zachmann/Garrett Steil Benefit” at any Rabobank.
Silva, Steil’s mother, posted an update on the “Help Garrett” Facebook page late Thursday: “As for us....we are coping as well as to be expected and are just extremely grateful for each and every one of you and feel so blessed to be surrounded by such an abundance of love and support. We are most importantly grateful that we have such a brave strong little man who continues to fight.”
Original story: A 14-year-old Arroyo Grande boy suffered major injuries Tuesday evening after he was hit by a vehicle while walking or riding a skateboard on Valley Road, according to the CHP.
The teen, who was not identified, was traveling south on the east shoulder of Valley Road near Sunrise Terrace about 7:30 p.m. when Jerry Philipps, heading north in a 1994 Dodge pickup, drove onto the east shoulder and struck the teen with the front end of the vehicle, according to a CHP news release.
The teen was taken to Arroyo Grande Community Hospital with major injuries.
Philipps was not injured nor was he cited. The CHP said alcohol was not a factor in the crash.
SanLuisObispo.com is happy to provide a forum for reader interaction, discussion, feedback and reaction to our stories. However, we reserve the right to delete inappropriate comments or ban users who can't play nice. See our full terms of service here.
Here are some rules of the road:
You should also know that The Tribune does not screen comments before they are posted. You are more likely to see inappropriate comments before our staff does, so we ask that you click the "report abuse" button to submit those comments for moderator review. You also may notify us via email at webmaster@thetribunenews.com. Note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us the profile name of the user who made the comment. Remember, comment moderation is subjective. You may find some material objectionable that we won't and vice versa.
If you submit a comment, the username of your account will appear along with it. Users cannot remove their own comments once they have submitted them, but you may ask our staff to retract one of your comments by sending an email to webmaster@thetribunenews.com. Again, make sure you note the headline on which the comment is made and tell us your profile name.
Be the first to know what's going on in San Luis Obispo County. Just tell us how you want to find out — we'll take care of the rest.
Sign up for breaking news alerts from SanLuisObispo.com and get the latest news sent to your cell phone via text message.
By signing up for alerts from this site, you are signing up for a program that may include up to 5 SMS text alert(s) per alert category per day. There is no service fee charged per month but your carrier's standard text messaging and other charges may apply. You may stop this subscription service at any time by sending the text message "STOP" to 72737. You must be at least thirteen (13) years of age to use our alert services. If you are between 13 and 17 years old, you agree that you have received parental permission both to complete the registration process and to receive SMS content on your cell phone. For help, send the text message "HELP" to 72737. This service will work with ATT, Verizon, Sprint, Nextel, Alltell, US Cellular, Cincinnati Bell, Boost, Virgin Mobile USA, Celluar South, Telos, Centennial, East Kentucky Network, Cellcom, Immix and Rural Celluar.
E-mail »
Twitter »
Facebook »
iTribune »
Subscribe »
RSS »
About comments
Reader comments on SanLuisObispo.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Tribune. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.