'It hurts my heart': Blind man's dog loses leg following hit-and-run in Northeast DC
Blind man's dog requires emergency surgery after hit-and-run in DC
A blind Northeast D.C. man was on a walk with his dog, when a vehicle hit the dog. Korey Holmes says the driver originally stopped, but believes that the driver left when he realized Holmes was blind. FOX 5's David Kaplan has the story.
WASHINGTON - A blind man is asking for help finding the driver who hit his dog while they were on a walk in Northeast D.C.
The accident happened around 2:30 p.m. on Feb. 6 at the intersection of 2nd and R Streets. Korey Holmes says his dog, Strappy, saw a dog on the other side of the street and jetted toward that dog. At the same time, Holmes believes Strappy was hit by a vehicle and came back to the sidewalk.
Holes says the driver initially stopped, but he believes that driver left when he realized Holmes was blind.
"The conversation, I said, ‘I wish that person was still here’ and when I stood up, I was walking towards, going to 3rd Street and he said, ‘I am still here.’ I said ‘you’re still here? You just hit my dog.’ He said, ‘man, anything that I can do?’ That’s his exact words," Holmes told FOX 5. "He said, 'your dog ok?’ I said why don’t you go over there and touch him and see. Because I can’t see," Holmes added.
Holmes says after that, the driver didn’t say another word and left seconds later.
Holmes said he spoke with a woman who was nearby and said she got a description of the vehicle but she left too as he was trying to figure out what happened and what to do and get his dog help.
Featured
VIDEO: DC woman, dog narrowly avoid being hit by driver in stolen car
A woman and her dog narrowly avoided being hit by a suspect plowing down a Northeast D.C. sidewalk in a stolen car, police say.
Strappy, who is a comfort dog and not a service dog, was taken to the vet where he needed emergency surgery but ultimately, his hind left leg needed to be amputated.
Holmes has had Strappy for about a year and says this incident has been devastating.
"Every time I touch him, it breaks me, it makes me feel sad because he can’t do the things that he used to do, so it really hurts me. It hurts my heart, it messes with my mind. It totally breaks me down," Holmes said.
D.C. Police did take a report but didn’t have any additional details about the vehicle believed to be involved.
The Humane Rescue Alliance helped pay for Strappy’s surgery and reunited the dog with Holmes. HRA tells FOX 5 that Strappy is healthy and will be able to live a relatively normal life despite the amputation.
Holmes is hoping anyone with information will come forward.