Police in Stoneham, Massachusetts, are seeking help locating a hit-and-run suspect who injured a man Dec. 19 at 276 Main St.
"I think he's [the victim] counting his blessings that he wasn't more seriously injured," said Stoneham Police Detective Christopher Dalis.
Blessings counted and now, feverishly trying to find the driver who hit him.
The reward is $5,000, put up by the 61-year-old victim.
"I was really disturbed when I saw the video. That's why I've offered the reward," the victim said on the phone.
It was a week ago Friday after 11 p.m., a man, who doesn't want to be identified, was leaving Gaetano's restaurant in Stoneham with his wife.
As he was walking to get in the driver side of his car, he was clipped and knocked down by a speeding SUV.
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Witnesses told police that driver stopped briefly, then kept going.
"Kind of letting us know that he probably knew that he hit somebody and decided not to stop, which really concerns us," said Detective Dalis.
Another concern is a busy stretch of Route 28 where cars fly by, according to Gaetano's owner Eddie Aprile, who says the victim is a long time customer and friend.
"Well, a lot of people were scared because it could have been any one of us. I park out there, we all park out there, and we all walk to our car. And that's what I said to the cops, they're trying to catch them but I don't know if that's going to happen. I said that could have been me," Aprile said.
Now, police are looking for help finding a maroon 1998-2006 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
The force of the impact knocked off the passenger's side mirror and ripped off the antenna.
Officials and the victim hope someone at a body shop saw someone come in recently for repairs.
"On the whole picture, I'm very fortunate. Other side of it, it's very aggravating. Somebody can hit another person and drive away and some eight or nine days since the accident, and no one's come forward," the victim said.
The man was treated a Melrose Wakefield Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
Anyone with information on this accident is urged to call Stoneham Police at 781-438-1215.
