A man is lucky to be alive after a hit-and-run on Christmas Day.
Gerald Boyer, 59, was walking eastbound along Dewdney Trunk Road just after 10 p.m. on Dec. 25 when he approached 216th Street and pushed the button to cross.
When the light turned green, he took around five steps into the intersection and was hit by a white, four-door BMW making a left-hand turn from Dewdney Trunk Road, south onto 216th St.
Boyer flew onto the hood of the car and landed around three metres from where he was hit.
The driver of the vehicle sped off.
An off-duty Burnaby firefighter and another woman who witnessed the collision rushed to help Boyer, who was lying on his side, but conscious.
“It is being described as a smaller four-door hatchback vehicle,” said Sgt. Brenda Gresiuk, with Ridge Meadows RCMP, adding that it is still early in the investigation.
“The vehicle struck the pedestrian and, fortunately, we did have witnesses who did stop to provide assistance, which we are very thankful for,” Gresiuk said.
“But we are looking for, more importantly, who was driving that vehicle.”
Marilyn Rooke, Boyer’s wife, has been rattled since the incident. She hasn’t been able to sleep, waking up every hour, and she has thrown up from the stress. The cashier at Save-On Foods is still going to work, although her mind is elsewhere.
“I can’t believe a person would do something like this at Christmas. How cowardly,” Rooke said.
She explained that it was her husband who was able to describe the vehicle that hit him. He heard the driver of the vehicle rev the engine before making the left-turn.
“Gerry actually saw him coming right at him and he put his hand actually at the guy’s hood and he ran right into him,” said Rooke.
Boyer received fractures to his spine and is still waiting to find out if he requires surgery.
He has been fitted for a back brace and he has been told to stay in bed.
“It is going to be a lot of rehab. He couldn’t stand the other night. He couldn’t stand, he couldn’t walk,” said Rooke.
• Ridge Meadows RCMP asks anyone with information to call the detachment at 604-463-6251.