Boys, 12, say they were victims of hit-and-run while riding bikes in Nevada Heights neighborhood

A trio of 12-year-old boys said they were run down by a speeding driver while riding their bikes Monday afternoon in a residential area in Spokane’s Nevada Heights neighborhood.

Police and paramedics responded at about 2 p.m. after a vehicle clipped the rear wheel of one boy’s bike and caused another to tumble over his handlebars, suffering cuts and scrapes on his arms, legs and head.

The driver then left the scene. Officer Josh Laiva said it was unclear whether the driver knew he or she had struck a bike.

Noah Wallace, Jakhari Ambrose and Roland Springer, who are preparing to start seventh grade at Garry Middle School, said they were riding east along Crown Avenue when the vehicle, an older red SUV, approached them from behind with its turn signal on.

The driver then turned off the blinker and continued through the intersection at Standard Street, the boys said. They were riding in the street and said they couldn’t get out of the SUV’s path.

“He wasn’t slowing down at all,” Wallace said. “In fact, he sped up.”

The boys told police the vehicle bumped the rear wheel of Ambrose’s bike, causing him to veer into Wallace. Ambrose said he managed to catch himself and escaped with only some soreness in his leg. Wallace fell over his handlebars into the asphalt.

Paramedics put some bandages on Wallace’s arm. His grandmother, Misty Wheeler, rushed to the scene and then walked the boys home. Wallace was shaken and lamented the scratches on his new mountain bike – a sixth-grade graduation present – but physically he would be OK.

Laiva said police would try to identify the driver but noted the boys provided a limited description of the vehicle.