'I just went flying in the air': Oakville man, 47, hit by car and hospitalized with serious injuries after telling driver to stop speeding
An Oakville man says he is shocked after an argument about a vehicle speeding on his street ended with him allegedly being struck by that vehicle and sent to hospital with serious injuries.
Jeff De Luca, 47, said he had just finished mowing the lawn of his Oxford Avenue home, in the area of Sixth Line and Upper Middle Road, July 9 at around 7 p.m., when his attention was drawn to a car which he alleged was speeding down the street.
I swear he was doing about 200 km/h," said De Luca.
He slows down to come around the bend and then he starts hammering it, going back up the street. My pickup truck was right there so I just stood in the middle of the street and I put my hand up and told him to stop."
De Luca said the driver did stop, but not before the vehicle, which De Luca believes was a Volkswagen, bumped De Luca's knees.
The two men argued with the driver reportedly demanding De Luca get out of the way and De Luca telling the man there were children in the area and not to drive like that.
De Luca alleged that after the vehicle's engine was revved a few times the vehicle backed up and then accelerated forward, slamming into him.
I hit the bumper, his licence plate cut up my shins. I went over his hood and into the windshield," said De Luca.
Then I just went flying in the air. I don't know how high I was but one of the neighbours said I was at least 15 feet in the air. I hit the ground like a ton of bricks. I just couldn't get up and I started to black out."
Halton police allege the driver fled the scene, but later returned and was arrested.
A 19-year-old man from Brampton faces charges of assault with a weapon, aggravated assault, dangerous operation of a vehicle causing bodily harm and failing to stop after an accident.
De Luca was taken to Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital with serious injuries including a concussion, a fractured spine, a broken arm, broken ribs, a shattered pelvis and damage to his heart and lungs.
He said at this time it is unclear how long it will take for him to recover.
I'm just shocked," said De Luca.
Definitely didn't expect this to happen."