Arlington hit-and-run driver wanted for injuring 5-year-old boy

ARLINGTON, Texas - Arlington police are looking for the hit-and-run driver who injured a 5-year-old boy.

The child was riding his scooter near his south Arlington home last week when he was struck by a pickup truck that never stopped.

Police released a photo of the truck. It’s a red, newer model Dodge or Toyota truck with dark rims and tinted windows. It has a dent on the driver’s side.

The driver of that truck hit Cecily Spallees’ 5-year-old son, Roman, who was on a scooter.

"He went into the street a little bit and tried to come back up," she recalled. "He said he didn’t do it fast enough because the guy kept coming and swiped him."

It happened on Sept. 23 in the 8400 block of River Bluffs Drive in Southeast Arlington. The family just moved in a week earlier.

"I would’ve had a little more respect if he’d stopped to make sure my son was okay, but he didn’t. He just get driving," Cecily said.

5-year-old Roman suffered a severely fractured arm. He’s undergone one surgery and soon will have to have another one. He also has a broken collar bone. 

An older child and a neighbor were also outside at the time. According to police and Cecily, the driver stopped very briefly and exchanged words with the neighbor.

"The neighbor asked, ‘Did you just hit that baby?’ He was like, ‘No, it just happened so fast.’ Then he asked him again and he just drove off," Cecily said.

"One of those images was clear enough for us to believe it was a late model red Toyota Tacoma pickup truck," said Arlington Police Det. David Szatkowski. "It has black rims, a black cover on the back and possibly has some damage on the driver’s side from where the boy was struck."

"He’s taking it like a champ," Cecily said. "But no kid should have to go through that."

The driver was described as a Hispanic male in his mid-30s who has short black hair and a goatee.

Witnesses said he was wearing a white t-shirt and blue shorts at the time.

Anyone who recognizes the truck or has info should call the Arlington Police Department at 817-459-5786.

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