Battle Ground teen hit by car has leg amputated

The Battle Ground teen who was hit by a car while waiting for a school bus and wasn’t found until 90 minutes later had his right leg amputated Monday.

Justin Carey’s parents said the leg should heal in a few weeks and will eventually be fitted with a prosthesis.

Carey, 16, was injured on June 10 when a Nissan Maxima driven by Shaun Johnson, 46, of Vancouver hit him at Northeast 82nd Avenue and 289th Street. The teen wasn’t found until a tow-truck driver who was retrieving Johnson’s car heard him calling from the ditch.

Carey contracted a staph infection while in the intensive care unit at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center; he was monitored in isolation and underwent several surgeries to remove all of the muscle in his lower right leg. The teen ultimately made the decision to remove his lower right leg.

His parents say they hope he’ll be able to come home at the week’s end.

After the prosthetic leg is fitted, Carey may be ready for physical therapy to regain the ability to walk on his own.

The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is investigating and has not made arrests or issued charges. The agency is waiting for Johnson’s blood test results.