FLAGLER ESTATES, Fla. – A church in St. Johns County is raising money for a middle school student who was critically injured in a hit-and-run crash in Flagler Estates on Friday morning.
On Saturday, First Baptist Church of Hastings said in a Facebook post that Maslin Mooney, 14, suffered multiple injuries in the crash, including two broken legs, a broken wrist, dental damage, and a brain bleed that will require him to remain in the hospital for over a month while his recovery process could last between four to six months.
RELATED: St. Johns County residents are saddened, but not shocked after a student was hit by a car
“The family is facing significant financial strain due to travel, treatments, and hospital stays,” the post read. “In this difficult time, we’ve set up a collection to help support them.”
Those who would like to contribute can donate here by providing basic information and selecting the category “The Mooney Family.”
On Friday morning, around 7 a.m., St. Johns County deputies said a citizen found a teenage boy who had been hit by a vehicle at the intersection of Palatka Boulevard and Carpenter Avenue.
The teen, later identified as Mooney, was airlifted to a trauma center in critical condition, according to the St. Johns County Fire and Rescue Department.
According to the St. Johns County School District, he attends Gamble Rodgers Middle School in St. Augustine.
Deputies said Mooney was walking to his bus stop —the pickup was scheduled for 6:08 a.m.— but he never made it.
The suspect vehicle is still outstanding, according to SJSO. Deputies are asking for the community’s help in finding the driver. The vehicle will have front-end damage.
“I know you are probably nervous and anxious and you don’t know what to do. Please hear me on this, do the right thing,” Lieutenant George Harrigan said. “Do not put this family through trauma wondering what happened to their loved one.”
If any resident in the area has any exterior video footage facing Palatka Blvd near Delgado Ave. and Carpenter Ave. or has any information, please send it to sointelligence@sjso.org or call (904) 824-8304.
“If you live in this area, in Flagler Estates, anytime this morning, probably from 5:30 a.m. to the time the child was found at 6:45 if you have any type of electronic device that captured video on your vehicle in front of your residence, please review those devices and that software and get it to us immediately,” Harrigan said.
News4JAX spoke with people in the Flagler Estates area who said no one should ever be treated like the student was.
One neighbor said she was sad but not shocked.
“I don’t see anybody doing the speed limit,” she said.
This incident marks the second crash this week involving a teenager being hit by a car in St. Johns County.
On Wednesday, a Fruit Cove Middle School student was riding a bicycle near Racetrack Road when she was hit and critically injured.
Harrigan said drivers need to pay attention to the road, not their phones, and not be distracted.
For students walking or riding bikes to school: wear clothes that are visible at all times, and if it’s dark bring a flashlight with you and consider walking away from the road if possible.