DENVER — Nearly a year later, a Denver man who survived a terrifying hit-and-run while riding a scooter told Denver7 he is still waiting for justice.
The crash happened just before 1 a.m. on April 21, 2024, near Denver's Westside neighborhood. Moises Bañuelos said he was riding a scooter near the intersection of W. 14th Avenue and N. Mariposa Street when he was struck by a driver.
Bañuelos was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. He suffered two broken legs, a broken jaw and injuries to his ear and eye.
"I don't remember the impact or, like, trauma and nothing like that. I just remember waking up in the hospital," Bañuelos recalled. "They said that I had been hit by a car. I just was super confused. They really did leave me on the street to die."
- Watch our original story with Moises Bañuelos in the video player below
The driver involved in the crash took off after the incident.
In May 2024, the Denver Police Department identified the driver as Nhi Than and arrested her days later. She was charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury. However, investigators later determined that Than took the blame for someone else.
The Denver District Attorney's Office told Denver7 it has since identified the correct driver but couldn't confirm if that person has been charged.
"I think whoever did this needs to take accountability. I mean, they changed my life forever," Bañuelos said. "It’s almost been a year since the incident, and the fact they haven’t been held accountable yet kinda bothers me. I did forgive them more for myself to give myself peace."
Bañuelos hopes officials will move forward with punishing the correct driver. In the meantime, he is focusing on his healing and is thankful for his miraculous recovery.
"I'm grateful and blessed to make a recovery, almost full recovery. I still can't feel like my jaw. Throughout this whole thing, I’ve learned to stay positive, lean on my community and be a positive force to reckon with," he said.
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