A 15-year-old boy was seriously injured Thursday night after a driver struck him and sped off near a Burger King on West 133rd Avenue in Cedar Lake. Police are now searching for a vehicle believed to be a gray or silver Kia Soul with damage to the front driver's side and possibly the windshield.
Cedar Lake police and fire personnel responded just before 8 p.m. to the 9800 block of West 133rd Avenue after reports of a pedestrian hit-and-run, according to CBS Chicago. Police told WGN-TV that officers were dispatched just before 7:50 p.m. to the same stretch of road for the reported crash.
According to the CBS Chicago report, the teen had been running on the sidewalk in front of the Burger King before he ran across 133rd Avenue to the north. A westbound vehicle struck him and did not stop, continuing toward Wicker Avenue, the outlet reported. The teen suffered serious injuries and was taken to an undisclosed medical facility, per the same account.
Surveillance Video Points to a Damaged Kia Soul
Cedar Lake police released surveillance video of the hit-and-run as investigators worked to identify the vehicle involved. Officers believe the car may be a gray or silver Kia Soul with damage to the front driver's side and possibly the windshield, according to ABC7 Chicago. That outlet reported the driver was heading west near Oakdale when the vehicle hit the boy and kept going toward Wicker Avenue.
Police have asked anyone with information about the vehicle or driver to contact Deputy Chief Carl Brittingham. He can be reached at 219-374-5416 ext. 1702 or by email at [email protected], per ABC7 Chicago's reporting.
A Separate Crash on U.S. 41
The hit-and-run comes amid a string of pedestrian crashes reported in the small Lake County town. The Northwest Indiana Times reported on a separate pedestrian crash on U.S. 41 in Cedar Lake, where first responders were called at 5:53 p.m. to the 13400 block near the intersection with 133rd Avenue. That crash, distinct from the Burger King hit-and-run, prompted a portion of U.S. 41 to be blocked off, according to the Times.
Cedar Lake police have not announced any arrests in connection with the hit-and-run that injured the 15-year-old, and the investigation remains active as detectives work to track down the driver.
