A South Florida family is hoping someone will come forward with information that will help find a hit and run driver caught on camera hitting a 78-year-old man and taking off.
Eddie Van Gool was ready to spend Christmas Eve with his family, but instead, he was sent to the hospital.
“He went through the stop sign and hit me and I thank my guardian angel because I could’ve been dead,” said Van Gool.
Surveillance cameras captured Van Gool walking over to his neighbor’s house when a car hit him and took off near Northeast 10th Avenue and 34th Court in Oakland Park.
“Went right through the stop sign and ended up hitting my father and had no regard for him. They didn’t stop. Didn’t slow down. Kept on going,” said Karl Van Gool, Eddie’s son.
After seeing the video, his son was in disbelief that his father survived. A good Samaritan rushed in to help, flagging down Eddie’s daughter until the paramedics arrived.
“She kept on saying don’t go to sleep because apparently I was shaking a lot,” said Eddie.
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Eddie is in bandages, bruised and beat up – but is grateful to be alive.
“A lot of lumps and bruises but yesterday I was walking with a walker and today I’m trying to do without,” said Van Gool.
While he’s recovering with his positive spirit, he’s concerned that this driver is still out there.
“Whoever hit me needs to learn about safety in whatever way, it’s got to happen because I don’t want this person to do it again and possibly kill someone,” said Eddie.
Investigators did find scattered car parts left behind and they believe the car involved was possibly a silver Honda sedan with a broken right headlight.
“I’m hoping that the person who hit my father gets caught and hopefully gets taken off the roads so that they don’t do it again,” said Karl.
Eddie and his family are pleading for anyone with information on this hit and run to come forward or call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.
