‘Just turn yourself in’: Family pushes for answers in hit-and-run of young boy

ADRIAN, Mich. (WTVG) - An Adrian family is holding out hope that the driver responsible for hitting their 15-year-old on his bicycle will turn themselves into police.

It happened Friday, August 9, 2024, shortly after noon. Dakota Courington, who’s 15, asked his father for permission to ride his bike to a friend’s house a few blocks away so he could help with a garage sale.

“Gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek and he said, ‘Dad, I love you so much.’ I gave him a hug and a kiss back. I told him, ‘I love you, too.’ I said, ‘Be careful and watch for cars,’” his father, Jack, previously told 13 Action News.

A vehicle hit Dakota and kept going. He was hospitalized and placed into a medically-induced coma.

Saturday, the community gathered in Adrian for a candlelight vigil to pray, mourn and support each other.

His father said Saturday that Dakota could start a long road to recovery with rehab in the next week or two as he slowly comes out of the coma.

He pleaded for the driver to come forward.

“I’m not angry with you, I’m not,” Jack said. “I’m just angry because you left my kid in the middle of the street. What happens if somebody wasn’t there? They could’ve died. I mean, the blood that was coming out of his ear, it was like running out of his ear. Just turn yourself in. I can forgive you for running him over, just turn yourself in.”

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