Police give boy hit by car new bike, helmet

MOSES LAKE — Every kid needs a good bicycle. Riding bikes is one of the staples of childhood and after 9-year-old Christian Brokke was struck by a car this week and injured the Moses Lake Police Department decided to do something special.

On Tuesday, the last day of school, Christian was walking his bicycle across South Grand Drive in the crosswalk when he was struck by a 2004 Ford Escape. The driver of the car reportedly failed to stop at a stop sign and struck the boy with enough force to knock the license plate off the vehicle.

Witnesses state that Christian was on the hood of the car for between 15 and 30 feet before he fell off, according to the MLPD. The boy was on the ground as the driver of the Escape, Suzette Brown, 49, of Moses Lake, dragged his bicycle for another block underneath her vehicle and fled the area. Brown was arrested later in the day and is facing charges of felony hit-and-run and tampering with evidence.

Christian was initially transported to Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake with head injuries, but was later transported to Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane for further treatment. He was wearing a helmet, which police say saved his life and should serve as a stark reminder for parents of the importance of helmets.

Christian returned home recently and was welcomed by members of the MLPD, who presented him with a new bicycle and a helmet to replace the ones destroyed in the accident, as well as a card signed by MLPD staff members.