'Drivers — please pay attention,' pleads family of Bountiful teen hit by car while on his way home

BOUNTIFUL — A South Davis Junior High student was recovering in the hospital Thursday after being hit by a car while riding his bike through a crosswalk.

Isaiah Munger, 13, was going west through the intersection at 2600 South and 500 West about 3 p.m. Wednesday when a vehicle stopped at the intersection, turned right and ran over the teen, who had just entered the crosswalk, said Bountiful Assistant Police Chief Dave Edwards.

Munger was transported to Primary Children's Hospital in critical condition.

Edwards said the student suffered a collapsed lung, broken ribs and a broken shoulder but was moved out of the hospital's intensive care unit Thursday morning.

Sara Munger, Isaiah's mother, said Thursday that the vehicle actually ran over her son's chest.

"That's how he broke and fractured the ribs and punctured the lung," she said. "He actually has tire marks across his stomach that you can see."

Isaiah's parents said Thursday he will likely be in the hospital for three more days, or possibly as long as a week. They say they feel lucky and blessed, but urged drivers to be more alert for pedestrians and cyclists — especially at crosswalks.

"I was thinking, how could someone just hit a child and not pay attention to what's going on around them?" said Dustin Munger, Isaiah's father.

"Drivers — please pay attention. Please," said Sara Munger. "No family deserves to go through this. Ever."

The driver was "extremely distraught" and "very cooperative" with police, he said, adding that there was no evidence of impairment. The driver was cited with failing to yield to a pedestrian.

"(We're) very fortunate it wasn't a much more tragic result," the assistant chief said.

Contributing: Michael Locklear

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