LITTLE ROCK, Ark. —
Walking across intersections can be dangerous, especially at night— one Little Rock man experienced this danger firsthand after a car hit him and his dog on Friday night.
Andrew Appler and his dog Rugar were walking back from dinner when a truck hit them on a crosswalk at the intersection of Broadway and Markham Streets in downtown Little Rock.
"When I went down, landed on my right side, and I'm just watching my dog, you know, five feet away, getting rolled under a truck," Appler said.
Appler said that's how he remembers the scary moment.
"There was a lot of people around, they came to help and someone you know tried to get my dog and asked for his name. They weren't able to get him," Appler said.
He said the truck driver stopped and helped search for his dog, Rugar, but didn't stick around.
"Driver of the vehicle seemed nice enough at the time but was in a hurry to get out of here without saying he'd done anything, hit someone," Appler explained.
Once Appler found Rugar, he took him to the vet and checked himself in at a nearby hospital to receive treatment.
"My left leg, everything on my left side was pretty, pretty painful from the truck hitting me and you know, everything from the shoulder down to my foot," he said.
While Appler focuses on his recovery, the Little Rock Police Department will be working to get answers.
Sergeant Eric Barnes said they're looking at video footage near the area in order to find a suspect.
"One of the hurdles we have through the investigations to try to you know, figure out exactly what that license plate is," Sgt. Barnes said.
Barnes said that hitting a person or property with your vehicle and then leaving without reporting it will have consequences.
"Depending on the damage amount, there may be a misdemeanor or felony amount of damage that could be charged someone that flees the scene of an accident," he said.
As the investigation continues, Appler and Rugar are continuing to recover and attend doctor's appointments.
" I consider myself extremely lucky. I know most people that get hit by cars don't have the ability to you know, walk away, hobble away, pick up the phone and call 911," Appler said.
If you are ever the victim of a hit-and-run, police recommend calling 911 immediately, especially if someone was injured.
It's also important to be clear about the location of the incident so that help can arrive more quickly.
For your safety, never attempt to follow a fleeing driver. Instead, get out of the way of any traffic, and if possible, stay at the scene to help officers make a detailed report.