Lethbridge man's mobility scooter destroyed in August hit-and-run

Brian Shockey needs to repair or replace his mobility scooter after he and his granddaughter were involved in a hit-and-run on Aug. 31, 2022.

Brian Shockey and his nine-year-old granddaughter were on their way home from the park when they were involved in a hit-and-run that left him with sky-high bills to pay.

Shockey, who has diabetes, uses his mobility aid scooter to get around.

He says he was riding his scooter across Mayor Magrath Drive with his granddaughter onboard and the family dog walking alongside when they were hit.

"We were just about crossed to the other side of the intersection and this woman came around the corner on Parkside Drive and she ran right into us," Shockey said.

"As soon as we got hit, the scooter kind of exploded because it's all fiberglass, so there were things breaking all over the place.

"Because my poor dog was walking beside me, she got hit first. I think she went under the vehicle and got rolled a bit. The centre console (on the scooter) broke off and pinned my granddaughter from moving."

The incident took place at around 8 p.m. on Aug. 31.

Shockey said the driver stopped at first, but then drove away shortly after.

"The woman said she is just going to move over to the side of the road because we were kind of in the middle of the street," Shockey told CTV News. "She left, she never came back."

Shockey suffered severe bruising to his right leg.

His granddaughter's injuries were minor, but his dog Trina had multiple injuries to her face and paws.

The family is left with a hefty bill to pay to either repair or replace the mobility scooter, which wasn't insured.

"There is no insurance, we don't know who it was (driving the car) and without that we have no recourse," Shockey said.

Shockey says a second-hand scooter costs between $2,000 and $5,000.     

The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with associated costs, including their dog's vet bill, which is now in the hundreds of dollars.

Shockey says the scooter is vital to his life.

"We need those scooters or else there's no getting around."

The Lethbridge Police Service is investigating the incident and say the driver was a 30-year-old female with black hair.

The vehicle was an older-model light brown SUV.

Anyone with information is asked to call police or to contact Crime Stoppers.