By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor
A nine-year-old Moses Lake, Washington boy who fell victim to a hit and run driver found some new friends in the city police department.
Last Tuesday Christian Brokke was walking his bicycle in a crosswalk when he was allegedly struck by a 2004 Ford Escape driven by Suzette Brown. Brown reportedly ran a stop sign and struck the boy with enough force to tear the license plate from the vehicle.
Witnesses to the collision reported that Christian remained sprawled on the hood of the car while Brown attempted to flee the scene, falling to the street after fifteen to thirty feet. She then dragged the bicycle under the car for a block before leaving the area.
EMS transported Christian to a local hospital. He suffered head trauma and was later transferred to Sacred Heart Medical center in Spokane for additional treatment.
Fortunately, Christian recovered from his injuries. Officers from Moses Lake decided to go a step further than simply investigating the collision and together bought Christian a new helmet and something every nine-year-old boy wants–a new bicycle.
Christian is lucky to have survived the collision. Investigators believe wearing a helmet probably saved him from a severe traumatic brain injury or even death. He returned home recently and was presented his new bicycle by the police.
With the aid witnesses and Ms. Brown reportedly leaving her calling card, the license plate, police arrested her later that day, charging her with Felony Hit and Run. As a nice touch, police added an additional charge of Tampering With Physical Evidence.
Kudos to Moses Lake for doing the right thing. Christian is doing well and undoubtedly looking forward to summer fun.
By Darren Smith
Sources:
Columbia Basin Herald
Moses Lake Police Department
The views expressed in this posting are the author’s alone and not those of the blog, the host, or other weekend bloggers. As an open forum, weekend bloggers post independently without pre-approval or review. Content and any displays or art are solely their decision and responsibility.
I am sorry to learn of Aridogs passing. While we disagreed on many things, he had rational and informed reasons for his positions which I enjoyed reading and sometimes learning from. We obviously shared many interests, especially shepherd dogs, military history, and I was wondering why I had not seen any posts from him for awhile. So I am saddened to learn of his passing, he will be missed by many including myself among those.
Nick – thanks, but I can take no credit. I just waved my arms for help and as usual, Darren came to the rescue. Aridog was indeed a voice of reason and a defender of all of the many good Muslim people living and working side by side with everyone else here.
Karen, You are a wonderful person. And, thank you to Darren and JT. Your kindness to the family is greatly appreciated. Aridog came here from another blog that we both frequented. The people who run that blog were very kind. One guy, like Darren, spent a lot of time digging out many of Aridog’s comments. It’s a Blogger blog and a time consuming task. I’ve known Ari for about 5 years. We talked about meeting half way between our homes in Chicago. But, time just ran out. Tomorrow is promised to no one. In just the past week, I have gotten to know Ari’s wife, Judith. Let me share w/ you some words to let you know how much the kindness of Karen, Darren and JT means.
I had mentioned to Judith how Ari, living in a large Middle Eastern community, was a staunch defender of Muslims on the several blogs he and I frequented. To that Judith said: “A note about Richard being a staunch defender of Middle Easterners. As you know, many of our neighbors are Muslim. Every one of our neighbors have approached me during the 73 days Richard was in the hospital. All offered their prayers and support for “Mr. Richard.” We are in Ramadan so our neighbors are not out during the day. Yesterday I told our neighbor across the street as he was leaving after sundown. He broke down and wept profusely, hugging me over and over.”
Judith said that she and Ari’s daughter, Kim, have spent several days @ the funeral home. But, when they get home from that emotional duty, they read Ari’s writings from this blog and another and find comfort, almost like their husband and father are talking to them.
We battle it out here. But I have said I believe people are basically good. These kindnesses are just another reinforcement of that.
steveg:
I live in a glass house as far as immediately asking “where were the parents” on various tragedies. I’ve made similar comments when that child fell to his death in the African dog enclosure at a zoo. But recently I’ve read several articles by parents about how when someone is suffering the worst pain in their life, that will never go away, perhaps we shouldn’t be so quick to say it’s all their fault and we would never let that happen. I have no leg to stand on criticizing the same “where were the parents” behavior in others that I have exhibited. We should all try to learn what went wrong with tragedies, to try to prevent them, and of course we should all be responsible. We can do so without savaging the bereaved. But I also have no business mocking those who do so when I’ve shown my own outrage before.
Karen, there’s absolutely no excuse for claiming the parents of that child at Disney Resort and Spa were somehow personally irresponsible.
What is that they say about character being what you do when no one is looking? People often do good deeds privately and don’t seek out praise.
In fact, I want to praise our own Darren, who painstakingly put together files with Aridog’s nearly 3,000 comments for his family. And Professor Turley also wrote to them. Aridog’s family asked that I pass on to Professor Turley and Darren, “How very kind of you to make it possible for us to have this. It means more than I can say. Richard sat for hours on the computer and we were constantly nagging him to go for a walk or do something! Now we can share what he was so engrossed in for so many years. He could hold his own on almost any subject couldn’t he?! A real gift with the awesome English language. He was so honored to feel he was holding his own among so many great legal minds.
I did receive a personal message from Professor Turley which was exceptionally kind as well. And to Darren, my goodness, what an act of kindness to us whom he has never met. I know Richard sees all this and is going to be an advocate for all of you from the better place he is now at.
It is so kind of you. (Richard’s daughter) has been pouring over them and so have I. Some responses are so predictable it’s as if he is standing here repeating them! God bless you for caring so much! Richard was truly blessed by your friendship.”
I thought I would share their kindness with the readers of the blog. This blog has been a very stimulating outlet for me, both when I agree and disagree with the topics and comments, and I believe many commenters feel the same way. Their kind regard for the family of a commenter who passed away is very much appreciated.
The good ones improving the overall image. Good people doing the right thing. Thanks. Namaste.
Wearing a helmet, smart kid and smart parents. The driver should do at the very least five years, out in three if she shows signs of improvement. She needs a lot of work. The only thing missing here, which needs to be exposed, is the lawyer’s routine for the defense. The legal system needs to be out there, on trial, exposed. Good for the cops. Thanks Daren.
I think the only thing missing is KCFleming’s remark that the parents should have taken more personal responsibility for their child. Everybody knows there are people everywhere who don’t care whose in the cross walk when they need to get through in a hurry.
And I surmise this happens a heck of a lot more than a two-year old child wading on the beach at Disney Resort and Spa being taken by an alligator.
First of all, I almost had a heart attack reading this story. Since she had no problem driving off with a little boy on her hood, I assume she would also be comfortable if he had still been on the bike she dragged beneath her car. It is times like these that our true character is revealed.
I wish they would throw in a charge for driving without her front license plate, failing to signal a lane change, and literally go through every single page of that traffic violation code book they keep in the car.
Thank God he fell off before she had accelerated to an unsurvivable speed, that he didn’t go under her tires, that he wore a helmet, and that he got help. And what a nice gesture from the Moses Lake PD. I’ve heard about our local cops and firemen doing good deeds, especially for kids, all the time. Arriving to the scene where a child gets hurt is really hard on first responders. Most people get into these jobs because they want to protect the public, so their protective instincts can be strong, as well as their frustration with those who hurt people.
And one more thing. Your brain, or your child’s brain, is your most precious treasure. Protect it with a helmet every single time you ride anything. If you think helmets don’t look cool, think how cool brain damage or death is.
Nick – was she on meth? It’s so sad she almost killed a child to save herself.
Crystal meth can be detected in urine up to 72 hours.
bettykath, Anger is depression’s ugly cousin. There are therapies and meds for that. There are ample opportunities to blast cops on other posts. To start your comment as you did shows some serious issues.
The feel-good story is nice, better than cops killing a kid. I was more interested in the driver. She “was distracted” when she ran the stop sign. Seems she panicked because her license was suspended and there was a failure to appear warrant out for her.
A witness reportedly told police he saw the Escape drive by his home, accelerating, with a woman driving and a man in the passenger seat. “(The witness) stated he observed a green helmet in the grill of the vehicle,” wrote an investigating officer.
The tampering with evidence may be the helmet she left with, or moving the bicycle a couple of blocks, and/or having her passenger ditch the car in a remote area.
How long does meth stay in your system? Her hit was about 10 hours earlier.
What’s the point of reporting this? Did the cops pay for the bike out of their own pockets or was it really the tax payers who (involuntary) gave the kid a bike? If all you’ve got is fluff like this, you’d do better taking the weekend off.
I know a lot of cops. These acts of kindness are more prevalent, But many cops don’t want the attention, so the stories never get published. Thanks, Darren.
Some time ago a uniformed cop was shot dead in downtown San Diego. Seems the last thing he did before the encounter that resulted in his death was stop for coffee at a McDonalds. A six-year-old boy was buying a sandwich but didn’t have enough money, so the cop came up with the cost of the boy’s breakfast.
I really love these kinds of stories. I wish this side of LEOs was more prevalent.
That is why she bought a Ford Escape.
I didn’t spot a link, so http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/community/police-give-boy-hit-by-car-new-bike-helmet/article_984f388e-34cb-11e6-8093-4b7bc6018acb.html.
BTW, that was a nice thing to do for young Mr. Brokke, who is apparently very into BMX biking. I do wish the story was more clear about the “tampering with the evidence” charge.
Good on you, Mose Lake PD. 🙂