LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Nearly a week after her son was hit by a car in the southwest Las Vegas valley, a local mother is sharing her son’s story, hoping to encourage safety on the roads.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Jamie Utterback said.
The devastated mother shared everything she loves about her son with 8 News Now.
“He’s loving, he’s caring,” she said. “He’s funny, he likes to crack jokes.”
Julio Vedoy Junior was riding his electric scooter to work last Thursday afternoon when he was hit by a car in the crosswalk at Durango Drive and Mountains Edge Parkway.
“My kids went looking for him,” Utterback recalled. “Saw Channel 8 News, saw police tape, and saw my son’s scooter in the middle of the road..”
She told 8 News Now Julio is now fighting to survive at University Medical Center, just off life support with bleeding and swelling in his brain.
“My healthy, 21-year-old boy is laying in a hospital bed,” Utterback said. “And can’t do nothing for himself.”
According to police, the person who hit Julio stayed on scene and didn’t show any signs of impairment, but Utterback said she’s sick of seeing so many crashes and is fighting for traffic changes in the area.
“He was doing nothing wrong; he was on his way to work,” Utterback said of her son. “I want answers to how this happened.”
She concluded that she’s using every ounce of strength she has, hoping her child and her entire family can recover and move forward.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Utterback said. “So heartbreaking.”
The family has created a GoFundMe for Julio’s medical expenses, as Utterback said there’s no way to know the scope or span of his recovery.
If you would like to help, click here.