- Eric Esparza, 24, is charged with hitting a teen on a scooter.
- The incident occurred in Cedar Hills when Esparza failed to yield at a stop, charges state.
- The 16-year-old suffered a concussion and fractures.
CEDAR HILLS, Utah County — A Lehi man was charged Monday with hitting a boy headed to school on a scooter and then driving off.
Eric Esparza, 24, is charged in 4th District Court with failing to remain at the scene of an accident involving serious injury, a third-degree felony; and failing to yield, an infraction.
On Friday in Cedar Hills, Esparza "failed to come to a stop before the crosswalk prior to attempting a right hand turn at a stop sign. As a result, (he) struck the victim, who was riding his electric scooter to school," according to charging documents. The 16-year-old boy "fell to the ground and struck his head on the pavement."
Prosecutors say Esparza got out of his car and asked the teen if he was OK, helped the boy pick up his AirPods and then drove away.
The teen "was taken to the hospital and diagnosed with a concussion and five fractures to his cheek and eye socket," according to the charges.
Using surveillance video, police were able to track down Esparza at his home in Lehi.
"I went to the address and located the vehicle parked in a driveway, the driver side front bumper of the vehicle was scratched and damaged, the vehicle also had black rims, a black license plate and a white 'UBER' logo on the passenger side of the front windshield," a police booking affidavit states. "I asked Eric to walk me through what had occurred, Eric told me that he was driving for Uber and had dropped an individual off in the neighborhood. Upon leaving he stopped at a stop sign and due to a brick wall to his right he did not see the victim riding his scooter through the intersection and in front of his vehicle."
Esparza claimed he asked the boy if he was OK, "and the victim had told him he was 'sorry' and then Eric left," the affidavit says.
