Bike Courier Badly Hurt After Being Hit By Van In Uptown
ALEXANDRIA, Minn. (WCCO) -- A 26-year-old bike courier is lucky to be alive after he was hit by a van while riding his bike.
That driver never stopped to check after hitting the cyclist.
Aaron Nelson was on his way to one of his jobs when he was hit Saturday night. It happened in the Uptown neighborhood near the intersection of Aldrich Avenue and Lake Street West.
Witnesses tell police the driver ran a stop sign, hit Nelson and kept going. Police are still looking for the driver of that van.
Nelson is sore, bruised but in good spirits. He says the biking community has been a big support during this difficult time.
"I bounce pretty good and I'm still here," said Aaron Nelson.
Nelson's sense of humor is still intact after he was hit on his bicycle Saturday night near Aldrich and Lake Street.
"I was heading to Uptown from the south side," Nelson said.
The 26-year-old bike currier says he doesn't remember much about what happened. What he has learned about the accident was told to him by people who witnessed it.
"I was heading westbound and somebody said a van going 40 miles per hour ran the stop sign on Aldrich and hit me, sending me some six feet into the air," said Nelson.
Aaron landed on his face. It took 13 stitches close the gash in his head.
"Road rash all over. I broke my thumb. I have some cracked teeth and the doctors are worried there might be some nerve damage in my eye because I can't lift my eyebrow," Nelson said.
It's a challenge for Aaron to walk but he says he feels fortunate.
"Doctors said if I didn't have a helmet on I'd probably be pretty messed up," said Nelson.
Aaron says what's really messed up is the driver of the van that hit him didn't stop.
"From what I understand, he didn't even slow down," said Nelson.
For now, Aaron says he will concentrate on healing and following the advice given to him by a good friend.
"Worse things have happened to better people so you just got to take what you're given and make it right," Nelson said.
Doctors tell Aaron he will be out of work for months. His friends have set up a GoFundMe to help cover the cost of a new bike, helmet and to help pay his bills until he is able to go back to work.
