Phoenix Man’s New Scooter Adventure Cut Short After Hit-and-Run Accident

PHOENIX — Manuel Ortiz, a local resident, is urgently seeking public assistance following a hit-and-run incident that left him injured while riding his electric scooter. The accident occurred on Sunday morning around 10:30 a.m. at the intersection of 75th Avenue and Lower Buckeye.

“I was just trying to get my prescriptions and some lunch meat for my dog,” Ortiz explained. “I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I was just trying to live my life.”

As he navigated eastbound on Lower Buckeye, Ortiz crossed the median. He reported that a white Cadillac struck his scooter while it was in the turning lane, sending him crashing into the driver’s side of the vehicle. “They clipped the front of my E-Scooter, which then triggered me going into the driver-side fender, which then rolled me up and over the car,” he recounted.

Following the collision, Ortiz sustained road rash and a swollen palm, and the incident aggravated his existing back issues. “I have a crushed disc in my mid back prior to this,” he shared. “I have spinal stenosis, so I have medical problems on why I use this scooter. I can’t work because of these problems.”

A witness to the event called for help, and another person assisted Ortiz until paramedics arrived, which he considered fortunate. He did not see the driver, but noted several details that might identify the vehicle: a white Cadillac with non-tinted windows, light or tan interior, an Arizona license plate, and a yellow cover over the plate.

Ortiz hopes sharing his story will promote awareness around road safety. “You’re making a mistake worse by leaving the scene,” he stated. “What if I got hit bad enough, or stayed in the hospital or died?”

His main objective is for the driver to accept responsibility for the incident. “I’m not trying to do anything where I want somebody arrested [and goes to jail] for a long time,” he clarified. “I just want them to pay for my scooter.”

Currently, the Phoenix Police Department is investigating the collision.