A 9-year-old boy who was injured during a hit-and-run in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood Thursday has been upgraded from critical to serious condition, a San Francisco General Hospital spokeswoman said.
Ryan White was visiting from Philadelphia and had recently left the evening baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies when he was struck by a white pickup truck while crossing Mission Street at around 10:30 p.m.
White was walking ahead of a family member when he was struck by the truck, which was turning left onto Mission Street. The truck had been driving north on New Montgomery Street, which is a one-way southbound street, police said.
Hayward resident Andrew Vargas, 21, was stopped in Hayward at around 11:30 p.m. when local police spotted his truck.
He was booked into jail on suspicion of felony hit-and-run and driving under the influence in connection with the incident, police Lt. Troy Dangerfield said.
White suffered a traumatic brain injury, which is slowly improving, as well as fractures to his pelvis, left leg and ankle, and a laceration to his liver, according to a statement that his family released today.
“Ryan has a long road ahead of him, but he is young and strong and we expect steady improvement especially when he can engage in rehabilitation full time,” the statement read.
The family also expressed their gratitude for the outpouring of support they have received from the city’s police and fire departments, the mayor, and the Giants and Phillies organizations.
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee visited the boy and his family today at the hospital. “I will continue to keep Ryan and his family in my prayers as he recovers,” he said in a statement.
Representatives from both the Phillies and the Giants went to the hospital to visit Ryan and his family, and Giants players sent Ryan and his 11-year-old brother Kevin signed baseball bats and jerseys, a team spokeswoman said.
Lefty O’Douls, a restaurant located at 333 Geary St., has also said they will donate half of their proceeds from Wednesday’s lunch–between noon and 3 p.m.–to help the family with medical costs.
“We’ve been deeply touched by the outpouring of support by people we don’t even know, local residents and merchants, such as Lefty O’Douls, that are stepping forward to help Ryan,” the family said.
Cards and letters for Ryan may be sent to: Ryan White, P.O. Box 542, San Francisco, CA 94104.
Erika Heidecker, Bay City News
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