Santa Elena Family Wants Justice for Hit and Run Victim

A simple ride through Santa Elena ended in tragedy for fifty-five-year-old Cheryl August, and now her family is demanding justice. August, a devoted Jehovah’s Witness who often used her bicycle to attend worship and visit fellow members, was struck in the Hillview area on Friday night and left with serious head injuries. While she now faces a long recovery, her family says they are struggling with frustration after learning the driver was released on police bail. Her daughter, Celine Baird, says the crash has turned their lives upside down, and they want accountability.

 

Celine Baird, Daughter of Victim

“She’s still in a lot of pain. She has a lot of abrasion to her head and body, bruises. So far she has not have any broken bones, thanks be to God, you know but we did a CT cat scan. That is okay as well. However, she had a fracture in the gland in her nose and so far that’s about it. She has just left for a dressing because she constantly needs to go back to the clinic to get medication and dressing. She’s a very cautious rider. Everyone here in Santa Elena that come across my mom knows that she always wear her reflective gear, you know. And she would make sure that she’s riding on the correct hand and so forth. She’s very cautious. And so that is the thing, Shane, that we as a family is wondering how can you not see a reflective gear, you know? As far as everyone knows she was – the vehicle it was a head-on. My mom was coming out and she was going in. So it’s either one thing you were not focused or maybe you were under the influence. The thing is she left, she left the scene, Shane. She did not stop and render aid,  you know, and this is what me and my sibling is going through because then we are saying that what my mom would have want – my mom would have said, “Leave it alone,” you know, as the Christian thing to do. But as her children, we are looking at it as you didn’t even stop. If it was whereby she stopped, she maybe take her to the hospital or something, then we would say, “Okay, she’s genuine. You know, she, she is sincerely sorry. She did not mean it.” But for you to just leave her there and based on information that we are receiving is that they had to get her from her home.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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