Candlelight vigil held for hospitalized Adrian teen involved in hit-and-run accident

ADRIAN — A 15-year-old Adrian teenager should have been starting his first days of freshman year at Adrian High School this week.

Instead of reuniting with his classmates for the beginning of a new school year, Dakota Courington remains hospitalized and in recovery from injuries sustained more than two weeks ago after he was struck by a vehicle in east Adrian on Aug. 9, in what police continue to investigate as a hit-and-run incident.

Courington, who was struck by a vehicle at the intersection of North Clinton and Chestnut streets around noon Aug. 9, was placed into a medically induced coma due to swelling around his brain. There has been progress in his condition over the handful of weeks since the accident, but there’s no denying that he has a long road of recovery ahead, especially with rehabilitation.

More: Adrian police seeking information about car versus bicycle hit and run crash

“The doctors are really happy to tell us that they have seen him making good progress. He won’t be the same as he was, but he will be able to walk and talk and talk to us,” Dakota’s father, Jack Courington said Saturday night, Aug. 24, during a candlelight vigil at Adrian’s Island Park .

Several Adrian residents, community members and those involved with Adrian Public Schools attended Saturday’s vigil, which provided updates on Dakota’s condition, detailed what his road to recovery might look like, and raised up continued pleas requesting the driver of the vehicle to step forward and turn themselves in.

According to a news release issued by the Adrian Police Department and Lieutenant Randy Spence, at approximately 12:19 p.m. Aug. 9, APD officers were dispatched to a car/bicycle crash at the intersection of North Clinton and Chestnut streets in the city of Adrian. When officers arrived on scene, they found a teenage male — identified as Dakota — was riding his bicycle north on Clinton Street and was struck by a vehicle traveling eastbound on Chestnut Street.

The driver involved in the crash fled the scene, and neither the driver nor the vehicle have been located. The vehicle was described as a silver passenger car or a smaller crossover sports utility vehicle (SUV) that should have damage to the front passenger side, APD said.

“I’m hoping that maybe this person who ran over my kid and left him in the middle of the street is going to turn themselves in,” Jack Courington said when asked about what message he hopes comes out of the vigil from Saturday night. “No matter where they are going to be in Adrian, there’s going to be people watching for them and there's going to be people watching for the car.”

Answers are still being sought in relation to the hit-and-run by the Courington family, the Adrian Police Department and the community.

Nearly one week after the accident, Adrian police said they had already received dozens of tips, and officers inspected about 150 cars, but they have been unable to locate the vehicle or driver.

“We are continuing the investigation and are actively working several leads,” Deputy Chief Larry VanAlstine said in an email.

Anybody who might have additional information to share about the Aug. 9 hit-and-run incident should contact the Adrian Police Department at 517-264-4808 or they can submit information via email to APDTips@adrianmi.gov .

“My son was headed over to a friend’s house to help with a garage sale. He didn’t deserve to get hit and just left like a bag of garbage on the street,” Jack said. “They left my kid like he was nothing. I’m sorry. If it would have been me, I would have stopped and I would have taken the punishment for what I did. Just come forward and just tell me. I forgive people and I will forgive you for what you did. But it’s hard to forgive you when you just leave him lay there and to die.”

Kimberly Courington, Dakota’s aunt, began and regularly posts updates on a Facebook page titled Justice for Dakota . Saturday’s candlelight vigil at Island Park was reserved for the Courington family and community by the Adrian Police Department.

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According to an Aug. 21 update from the Facebook page, Dakota’s parents, Jack and Carrie, were notified that over time Dakota should be able to make a full recovery, albeit with “extensive” physical and occupational therapy for rehab.

“Time and effort will tell how much function he will regain,” the Facebook post said. “This is good news but still a very long road.”

Besides attending the candlelight vigil, families and Adrian Public Schools students who would like to support Dakota and the Courington family can make a financial contribution to offset medical expenses. TLC Community Credit Union locations are accepting donations that can be deposited into “Dakota’s Donation.”

— Contact reporter Brad Heineman at bheineman@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @LenaweeHeineman.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Candlelight vigil held for hospitalized Adrian teen involved in hit-and-run accident