Madras boy, 8, back home recovering after being hit by car; neighbors voice street safety concerns

(Update: Adding video, comments by witness, area resident)

'Since April of 2020, this is our third child now that’s gotten hit in our neighborhood,' Wells said.

MADRAS, Ore (KTVZ) -- Liam Mantiega, an 8-year-old Madras boy, is back home, recovering from injuries he suffered after getting hit by a car and dragged 20 feet on Strawberry Lane in Madras last Tuesday. 

Four people had to lift the vehicle partially off of him before he was taken to St. Charles Madras, then flown to St. Charles Health System last Tuesday, and later taken to a burn unit in Portland.

The boy’s mother, Ashley Garcia-Manteiga, said Liam was able to return home Sunday and is in good spirits.

But he has third-degree burns over much of his body and will be undergoing surgery next week for skin grafts.

A witness, Randi Galan, told NewsChannel 21 Monday she saw Liam on the ground in the crosswalk after crashing his scooter, asked if he was okay and tried to help him.

“And he tells me, 'Oh, I fell off my scooter!' And he’s crying, he’s holding his knee. And I was like, ‘Oh you know’ -- I was about to get out and help him -- and here comes this car with this lady in it and she just -- it happened so fast, she hit him," Galan said.

Megan Wells, a member of the Strawberry Heights Homeowners Association, said she and others have been calling for reduced speeds and other road safety improvements from the city for some time now.

“Since April of 2020, this is our third child now that’s gotten hit in our neighborhood," Wells said.

She requested the city add speed bumps in the neighborhoods. Wells said although the neighborhood speed limit is 25 mph, she observes people speeding all the time.

Galan also mentioned her son's friend got hit by a car twice, and encourages drivers to slow down and pay closer attention.

Wells said she has been urging the city of Madras to be proactive with making the main streets and neighborhood streets safer for kids.

“We’ve been requesting to have a speed study done, to see if we can get the speed limit lowered," Wells said. "We'd love to try and get it lowered to 15 mph, also speed bumps. We’re hoping that speed bumps would really help slow vehicles down, if we can’t get a speed limit lowered."

Galan said many children walk to and from school on the area, so it’s important that drivers pay closer attention and slow down.

“We just need to bring more awareness to our neighborhood that there are so many kids -- there are so many kids out here," Wells said.

If you'd like to help Liam's family with his medical expenses, click here.