GoFundMe Launched For Avon Soccer Player Liam Shields

Police in Connecticut have arrested a man who they say struck a high school sophomore on his bicycle, carrying him on top of his car for four miles, before shoving him off into the roadway.

The boy, identified in a GoFundMe campaign as Avon High School soccer player Liam Shields, was left "fighting for his life," friends of his family said. The campaign, which had raised more than $48,000 as of press time said Liam was "fighting for his life."

Avon police were called to Arch Road and Security Drive in Avon around 9:15 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 4, after someone reported finding a damaged bicycle, loose candy, and a cell phone lying in the street.

Not far away, they found Liam, a sophomore, on the side of the road in a bloody heap, police said. The teen was taken to Hartford Hospital in critical condition.

An initial investigation found that Alex Joel Rivera struck Shields near 11 Arch Road and then carried the teen on the roof of his red Subaru Forester for four miles, Avon police said.

Two Good Samaritans saw Rivera driving erratically and felt something was off. They returned to find Shields on the side of the road, Avon police said.

Liam was taken to Hartford Hospital and police were able to track down Rivera, whose vehicle had suffered heavy front-end damage, authorities said.

He was arraigned in Hartford Superior Court on Monday, Oct. 7, on charges of first-degree reckless endangerment, evading responsibility causing serious physical injury, driving without a license, and two counts of risk of injury to a child. More charges were forthcoming, police sad.

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