Father Of 2 Gravely Injured In Riverside Hit-And-Run Dies
RIVERSIDE (CBSLA.com) — A 27-year-old father of two who was gravely injured by a hit-and-run driver on Sunday has died, according to his family.
D'Andre J. Sutherland was struck while riding his bicycle near the intersection of Magnolia Avenue and Beechwood Place on Sunday.
Police were called to the scene just after 2 a.m.
The family told KCAL9's Crystal Cruz that Sutherland went into cardiac arrest Wednesday morning.
Family members told Cruz that contrary to various media reports, they did not take him off life support.
"I prayed Lord I want you to come in show up and show out. I love my son, but I know you only loaned him to me in the first place. I'm so blessed that you have given him to me for 27 years," said Sutherland's mother, Mary Campbell.
"That wasn't my son laying there. I know that that was just a shell. My son was always active, he was healthy," said Campbell.
A ghost bike, the symbol which has come to mark deadly bicycle accidents, marks the spot where the accident occurred.
The driver hasn't been caught.
"Whoever did this, stand up and take account for what you did," said Michele Tucker.
Sutherland called Tucker "Pops." She also helped raise him. Tucker is married to Sutherland's mother.
They have decided to donate his organs.
"We're giving back life to somebody," Tucker said. "Through him, he still lives."
Sutherland was a father of two, engaged and ready to start a new job this week.
Teneshia Sutherland also helped raise her little brother.
"It hurts, but they didn't take his memories from me; that's what they didn't steal and take," said Teneshia.
Witnesses said the suspect vehicle was a late-model beige or silver 4-door SUV. Authorities said the vehicle would have sustained significant damage to the front end and the windshield.
Anyone with information regarding this collision is urged to call Riverside Police Traffic detective F. Soria at (951) 826-8720
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Bicyclist Sustains 'Significant Injuries' In Riverside Hit-And-Run
