Child injured in DC hit-and-run speaking out, calling for safer roads

A 9-year-old child injured in a D.C. hit-and-run is speaking out and calling for safer roads. Peter Dziekan was riding his bike home from school with his mother Friday afternoon when home surveillance video shows a car running a stop sign at 21st and Gayles streets Northeast and hitting him.

WASHINGTON - A 9-year-old child injured in a D.C. hit-and-run is speaking out and calling for safer roads.

Peter Dziekan was riding his bike home from school with his mother Friday afternoon when home surveillance video shows a car running a stop sign at 21st and Gayles streets Northeast and hitting him.

"They just didn’t even try to stop, they just went through," Peter said.

DDOT looks to crack down on stop sign runners

The DDOT is looking to crack down on stop sign runners as a 9-year-old child in a D.C. was injured after a hit-and-run and is speaking out to call for safer roads.

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Video shows him falling off his bike into the road and woman nearby yelling out in horror. Peter fell on his face and says most of his body is bruised.

"I bounced down on the ground, got right back up and started running towards (my mom)," he said. "All of the neighbors were out."

Peter’s mother, Ami Dziekan, said they typically bike to and from Two Rivers Public Charter School and on Friday, Peter was about 30 feet ahead of her.

"I heard the sound," Ami said. "You know what that sound is, and it’s terrifying."

As police continue to search for the driver, Ami and Peter said they have seen an outpouring of support and love.

"I think it’s shown there’s lots of wonderful people in this community and I’m choosing to focus on that," Ami said.

Neighbors say the intersection where it happened has been a problem for years.

FOX 5 captured cars running stop signs and speeding, which neighbors say is a regular occurrence.

"I literally have to stand in the street every morning so the cars can stop so my kids can come across the street without getting hit," said neighbor James Long.

He and others said there’s a desperate need for speed bumps and better enforcement.

Even after what happened, Peter says he doesn’t want to stop biking to school

He says what needs to change is dangerous driving in his city.

"I know it happens a lot and I want to fix that," Peter said.

About an hour before Peter was hit Friday, another 9-year-old was hit while walking by his school on Wheeler Rd. in Southeast.

Police said the child is in serious, but stable condition, and that driver did stay on scene.