Vancouver senior seriously injured in hit-and-run speaks from hospital

A Vancouver senior seriously injured it a hit-and-run two weeks ago is speaking out from her hospital bed.

Seventy-one-year-old Loreen English lives in East Vancouver and walks everywhere. On July 11, she was crossing Grandview Highway at Slocan Street with the walk signal activated when she heard a vehicle accelerating behind her.

“And I just turned my head, all I could see, I knew it was an SUV, a grey SUV. And I got nailed with the driver’s bumper,” said English.

She was knocked to the pavement, and knew right away she had serious injuries.

“I was in a lot of pain. Witnesses came up right away,” said English. “Then I heard a man’s voice go, ‘OK, he’s pulled over.’ And then all of a sudden, I heard somebody – a couple of guys – yell, ‘No, no, he’s taking off!’”

The driver of the SUV left the scene. English was rushed to hospital with a broken hip and pelvis, a broken collar bone, broken nose and other injuries.

“For two days in the hospital, I just kept having nightmares of this accident reoccurring,” she said.

Police investigating the hit-and-run canvassed the area, but could not find surveillance video of the collision or the SUV taking off.

“We still don’t know who was driving that vehicle, and we don’t have a licence plate on the car,” said Vancouver Police Department Sgt. Steve Addison.

Police are appealing for witnesses with information or dash cam video, and they want the SUV driver to come forward.

“We are asking you to do the right thing. Come forward and speak to our investigators so we can get some answers here,” said Addison.

“I’d like him to come forward,” said English. “I don’t hold hope for that. For many reasons, this person decided not to stay.”

Two weeks into her stay at UBC Hospital, English became concerned ICBC wasn’t committing to covering expenses she will incur when she’s sent home to continue her recovery.

“I live alone, I’m in subsidized seniors housing. They want to get me set up so that when I do go home, I can pretty much take care of myself,” English said. “ICBC seemed to be dragging their butts and not giving me or the hospital any kind of reassurance that they would step up to the plate and provide for me.”

After CTV News reached out to ICBC on English’s behalf, the insurance corporation confirmed it would be covering her recovery expenses.

“We know that this is a very challenging time for Ms. English. What happened to her is awful, and we want to ensure that she is going to be taken care of,” said Greg Harper with ICBC.

“That may mean she’ll need help with her day-to-day activities at her household. Perhaps some modifications will need to be made to her home. These are some of the things that we’re going to make sure are taken care of,” Harper added.

English is relieved, but wonders if confirmation of coverage only came quickly because she spoke to CTV News.

“Imagine that, I contact the media, ruffle a few feathers, and get the ball rolling,” English said.

She hopes she can be released from hospital next week to continue her recovery at home.

“My biggest hope, and I pray, is that I’ll be able to walk again,” English said. “I’m not a very religious person, but I pray for that.”