A 9-year-old boy was removed from life support Thursday night after being hit by a truck outside on the street in front of his San Leon home days earlier.
Benjamin Dennis and his 6-year-old sister Savannah were preparing to go on a bike ride with an adult at about 7:30 p.m. Before they left, surveillance video shows Benjamin riding his bike onto 22nd Street. A truck turning left from FM 517 struck the boy.
“I was there right next to the road, so I ran into the road, and I yelled his name, and I dragged him away from behind the truck so it didn’t run over him again,” Savannah said.
The children’s mother was inside their home cooking at the time.
“I just kept breathing and begging him to stay,” his mother, Sarah Touchet, said.
He was taken to the hospital, and shortly after, doctors told his family he was brain dead, according to Touchet.
The fourth grader at Lobit Elementary was taken off life support Thursday night, and his organs were donated.
The driver remained on the scene of the crash, according to the crash report. It notes that the driver stopped on FM 517 before turning and that he did not see Benjamin.
The child’s family says their surveillance video indicates the man did not stop before turning.
“You could look at the video and tell me he never saw him,” Nancy Suffield, Benjamin’s grandmother, said. “He didn’t even know he hit somebody until after the fact, and it was too late.”
Less than a month before the crash that killed Benjamin, two people were also killed in a motorcycle crash at the intersection. Touchet, who was home at the time, said she ran out to help.
A cross is set up in memorial of the victims of that crash.
“Like that wasn’t enough already?” Touchet asked.
The family says speed is an issue with drivers daily. The speed limit is 50 mph. They want a traffic light installed at the intersection to prevent others from losing their lives.
“Can’t bring my grandson back,” Suffield said. “That’s why we’re asking for somebody to reach out and get this done, help us get this done, please.”