MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — A family is turning to the community for support after a hit-and-run incident last week. As they grapple with life-altering injuries, they face an uncertain future filled with challenges.
Every Sunday, the Hernandez family makes the journey from Murfreesboro to Nashville to cheer on their loved ones on the field.
“He played soccer, so my mom and sister went with them,” said victim’s family member Johana Munguia.
But on their drive home on Feb. 16, Munguia said her family decided to make a stop.
“The light was green,” says Munguia. “It was their turn to go.”
They were stopping at a gas station near the intersection of South Rutherford Boulevard and S.E. Broad Street. That’s when Johana said someone changed their lives forever.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol said a driver didn't stop for Murfreesboro police, ran a red light and crashed into the Hernandez car. THP reported that the driver fled the scene.
“I'm just asking them to help me find the guy who did this, that's all I want,” explained Munguia.
Munguia said five people were in the car that was hit, including her 3-year-old sister, Angela Cecilia Hernandez, and her mother, Elizabeth Hernandez Rosado. She said her little sister was thrown from the window and landed on the pavement.
“I worry about my mom and my sister because I don't know what I'm gonna do if they tell me she's gonna lose her leg or my mom is not gonna be able to move,” added Munguia.
As they navigate the difficult road to recovery, Johana is burdened with the anxiety of her family’s future. Her father died two years ago, leaving her to shoulder the weight of their well-being.
“I'm just 17. I don't have work,” said Munguia. “I don’t have the possibility to take care of them.”
The family believes that the driver who hit their car was being pursued by police. The Murfreesboro Police Department says the incident is still being investigated both internally and independently by the Tennessee Highway Patrol to determine what happened.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Patsy.Montesinos@newschannel5.com
Breaking barriers and moving to the beat! One local dance company is making it possible for young people in wheelchairs to move and groove like everyone else. Good for your mental health, good for your physical health and good for your dose of positive news today. I hope you check out what they're doing!
-Rebecca Schleicher
