Dallas tow truck driver left wheelchair bound after hit-and-run crash while on the job

DALLAS - A Dallas tow truck driver is out of the hospital weeks after a hit-and-run driver struck him while he was on the job. Police still have not found the driver.

The backstory:

Just before 8 p.m. on Dec. 29, Jesus Rodriguez was sent to a routine call on 635 near the Midway exit. He was loading up a vehicle when he saw headlights veer into the shoulder.

"Once I saw the vehicle was not correcting itself, I belly flopped onto the back of the tow truck," he recalled. "My legs did not clear, and I was struck on my legs. So my legs took most of the impact."

Rodriguez's dash cam video captured the sound of the collision and a quick glimpse of a dark-colored vehicle with no tail lights.

"I was just laying there, fending for myself in the moment, screaming for help," he said.

Rodriguez was in the hospital for two weeks with screws and a rod in his legs. 

He’s now bound to a wheelchair and relying on his family for care. His family usually rely on him as the sole provider.

For now, Rodriguez is focusing on the future and not the past.

"I'm thankful. I’m grateful. I’m blessed," he said. "One day or another, I will get back in my truck."

What's next:

It's a long road ahead for Rodriguez. He says it’ll take two months before he can stand and then another six months of rehab.

Meanwhile, Dallas police confirm they are still investigating the hit-and-run. They have Rodriguez's dash cam video. Detectives are searching for the suspect and their vehicle.