Battered and bruised, a man has been left with torn ligaments and muscle damage after he was struck in a cowardly hit-and-run incident in Charlestown.
Cory Kipa, 47, was riding his electric skateboard on Thursday, July 20 at about 4pm when he was allegedly hit by a driver and thrown over the bonnet of a silver/grey Ford Falcon sedan at the intersection of Smith and Ridley Streets.
"I waved my arms to get their attention and they looked at me as if they saw me, so I continued down the hill and by the time I got to the centre of the intersection in a split second I was hit by a car," he said.
He suffered a crushed knee with ruptured ACL and medial ligaments, a torn Achilles tendon, a torn hamstring to his right leg, a hematoma on his left shin and injury to both of his shoulders.
"My range of motion is limited, I can't even put my own pants on," he said.
"Luckily I had a helmet on and a soft backpack to protect my spine. If I didn't have a helmet on I could be permanently paralysed or I could be dead."
He was aided by the help of bystanders. A young girl who saw the incident dragged him to the curb before NSW Ambulance paramedics arrived and took him to John Hunter Hospital.
"They [bystanders] couldn't do enough to help. I'm so grateful. If I do get a chance some day or remember what even half of them look like, I will be going to say thank you," he said.
Police have been told that the car stopped for a short time after the incident before driving away without rendering assistance.
"I seen both sides of humanity on this day - the good people that react with concern and do everything to help someone in trouble, and those that panic and run away and hide," Mr Kipa said.
Mr Kipa underwent knee surgery on Sunday and was released on Thursday, July 27 but says he holds concerns for blood clots after his brother died from a similar injury just two weeks ago.
"We only buried my brother recently - he had a car accident and his leg was all smashed up and he died of a blood clot - I'm really afraid of that," he said.
"I'm scared to be home."
The aftermath of the accident has left the casual FIFO worker unable to drive for at least six weeks and caused him a loss of income.
"My ability to work has gone to zero, I can't walk, I can't drive or look after my kids - getting around on my own is hard," he said.
"I was supposed to go away for three weeks and would've brought home nearly $6000 and now I can't go."
As inquiries into the incident continue, Mr Kipa is pleading the driver to come forward.
"Hand yourself in, it's probably traumatising for you too but you've just changed my life for the worst," he said.
"I'm not out to get them, but I'm pissed off I got hit and I'm pissed off they didn't stop."
Police from Lake Macquarie police district are appealing for any witnesses, or those with dashcam footage, to come forward.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
