La Center teen remains in critical condition after Tuesday fall

Family friends of Colin Monahan, the La Center teen left with critical head injuries after falling in front of a friend’s pickup Tuesday, have set up an online fundraising account to help with the family’s expenses.

La Center Police Chief Marc Denney said police found the boy after he darted in front of a friend’s pickup in an effort to hop on the vehicle’s hood, unbeknownst to his friend, the driver, who was driving slowly through a parking lot near Holly Park in La Center.

Colin fell and was struck by the truck, and he’s been in the intensive care unit at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center since, where he’s in critical condition.

Denney said the last he heard was doctors had induced a coma to help counter swelling around the boy’s brain. He also suffered abrasions and bruising to his lower back, possible broken ribs and bruising to his liver and lungs, Denney said.

“They were pretty optimistic that he would be OK — in fair condition coming out of this, from what we’re being told,” Denney said.

There were witnesses present, and officers determined the other driver, another teen boy, was not at fault.

“He stopped right away,” Denney said. “By the time he could stop the vehicle (Colin) got run over by the front tire.”

“The driver is pretty distraught and upset for the incident, even though there’s nothing he could have done to avoid what happened.”

A family friend has set up an online fundraiser on behalf of the family at GoFundMe.com, under “Colin Monahan medical expense fund.”

The campaign had raised $3,160 as of 9 p.m. Thursday.