Family begs for tips after hit-and-run crash leaves motorcyclist on life support
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - A Colorado Springs man is in a medically induced coma after he was hit by a truck Monday morning while riding his motorcycle in the Old North End.
The other driver fled the scene and now the motorcyclist's family is looking for tips from the community to bring that person to justice.
David Graham Ponti has fractures from his skull all the way down to the tips of his toes. The 24-year-old is fighting for his life with brain bleeding and severed arteries.
Around 6:30 a.m. on Monday, August 15, Craig Coupland was reading a book on his porch off Weber Street.
"As I was sitting there, I heard what sounded like a horrible crash," said Coupland.
The crash was just steps away from his porch at the intersection of Fontanero and Weber. Coupland immediately set down his book and rushed over to help.
“When I showed up, his motorcycle was all the way over on the northeast corner, and then he was laying right in the middle of the intersection," said Coupland.
In the seconds it took Coupland to turn around from his spot on the porch, the other driver involved had already fled.
Later on, Ponti's family was relieved to find out two cameras are mounted on the stop lights at the intersection where the crash occurred.
But that hope faded after talking to Colorado Springs Police.
“At first, police said there were no cameras at the intersection," said David Ponti, David Graham Ponti's father. "Then they told me that the cameras were inoperable. That was the second response I got after I told them that there were cameras there.”
With no footage and very few witnesses, the Pontis say police have little to no leads.
So far, all they really know is that there was a pickup truck involved, and that truck may have flat tires on the driver’s side.
"We just want the driver to come forward and take accountability for what happened," said Anne Fraizer, Ponti's sister. "My brother is 24 years old. He'll be 25 September 12. He's so young, and he has so much life left.”
"If an accident happened, I might forgive you," said Ponti. "I don't know what happened, and that's a big part of it. I don't know what the hell happened. All I know is my son got scraped off the sidewalk. Maybe you could shine some light on that, dude.”
The family is offering a $1,000 reward for any tip that results in a major lead in this investigation.
Fraizer owns Blades and Brews in Colorado Springs and says you can stop into the shop with information at any time.
A Go Fund Me has also been set up for medical bills. Money raised will go to the victim's mother, who has power of attorney. You can find the link to donate by clicking here.
