The family of a 15-year-old boy is describing the pain of losing him to a hit-and-run driver near Federal Way, as King County Sheriff's detectives renew their appeal to the public for help. Investigators are asking anyone who can identify a dark-colored four-door sedan, or the driver who was behind the wheel, to come forward.
According to detectives, the teenager had just stepped off a Metro bus at Military Road South and South 320, near Federal Way, just before 10 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14. He was crossing the street when he was struck by the vehicle.
The driver did not stop. Detectives say the car kept going after the impact and left the scene. They believe the sedan involved could have damage to its front right wheel well, a detail they hope might help someone recognize the vehicle in the weeks since the crash.
The boy was rushed to the hospital, where his family says he fought for a week to survive. He ultimately died from multiple blunt force injuries, turning what detectives are investigating as a hit-and-run into a fatal case.
In a statement, the boy's family said losing him in a fatal hit-and-run has been devastating. They said they are grieving not only the person he was, but also the future that was taken from him, adding that even through their grief they find themselves sharing stories about him that make them laugh, because that was the kind of impact he had on everyone around him.
King County Sheriff's detectives are now asking drivers and businesses along Military Road South to check their cameras for any clearer video of the vehicle. They are hoping that dashcam footage or surveillance recordings from the area around the time of the crash could help identify the sedan or the driver.
The investigation remains open weeks after the collision, with no arrest announced. To encourage tips, a cash reward has been offered for information that leads to an arrest, with Crime Stoppers putting up 1,000 dollars and the boy's family adding another 4,000 dollars, bringing the total to 5,000 dollars. Detectives have stressed the time of the incident, just before 10 p.m. on a Tuesday, in the hope that residents and commuters who were on Military Road South that night may remember something that points them toward the driver who fled.