(CALIFORNIA) — Authorities in California are currently searching for a person who left the scene of an ATV crash involving two children.
The incident occurred over the 4th of July weekend near the Stoddard Valley Off-Highway Recreation Area in Apple Valley north of San Bernardino.
Officials say 12-year-old Jacob Martinez and his 11-year-old friend Christina Bird, were riding an ATV near their family’s campsite when they were struck by a Side by Side UTV.
The driver then took off, leaving Jacob dead and Christina severely injured.
A passerby noticed the children and contacted authorities.
Jacob was pronounced dead at the scene:
“We were told that the first person that tried to perform CPR to my nephew turned him around but the only part that turned was his top half of his body because he was so broken so we knew immediately that he was dead,” Daisee Montano told reporters.
The impact of the crash allegedly caused Jacob’s helmet to fly off.
Christina was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital and later flown to Loma Linda University Medical Center.
She remains on life support with multiple broken bones and a severed spinal cord.
Authorities are now searching for the driver of a 2021 orange Polaris Razor Turbo S or S4. Witnesses say another driver briefly stopped after the crash, turned off their lights, and slowly drove away.