Moorhead mom speaks out after son’s hit-and-run

MOORHEAD, Minn. (Valley News Live) - A Moorhead mom is sharing her terror after her son was seriously injured in a hit and run on Friday, April 7.

“I was scared. I was ten minutes from the scene. I couldn’t get there quick enough. I was hysterical,” Laqueisha Lamar told Valley News Live.

The crash happened near Highway 10 and 21st Street in Moorhead while 12-year-old Zamir was coming home from a friend’s house. Lamar says she’s devastated and believes the hit-and-run may have been intentional.

Lamar says her son Zamir is funny, has the biggest heart, and genuinely loves to see everyone happy, so she’s trying to wrap her mind around why someone would run him over.

“I just want to know why. I need a why,” Lamar said.

Lamar she says the driver ran a red light while the pair were crossing the road.

“Took him and his bike under and drug him a few feet,” she said.

Lamar says the driver then pulled over, got out and yelled at the two boys before driving off.

“I was angry. At this point, I feel it was intentional,” Lamar said.

Zamir was flown to Mayo Clinic in Rochester and had already undergone two surgeries as of Monday afternoon. He will soon be heading back to the operating room to repair his injuries.

“Scrapes and bruises, skin missing in different places,” his mother explains. “They had a towel over his ankle. When they took the towel off, the first thing I thought about was that it looked like an animal took a bit out of my son. Like a bear or lion took a chunk out of him.”

In addition to the severe injuries to his ankle and foot, Zamir is also suffering from a broken pelvis and sprained shoulder. While the recovery will be hard, this mother of five is grateful her son is alive to see another day. And she says she’s even more grateful for the good Samaritan who stayed by Zamir’s side until help arrived.

“I was glad someone was there with him that was giving positive energy, keeping him talking and he said he didn’t black out not one time. I feel like the lady was talking to him, keeping him woke, keeping his eyes open. I’m real grateful for her.”

Late Monday afternoon, family advocates spoke out about the suspect’s behavior after the hit-and-run.

“Her behavior was monstrous… monstrous behavior,” said Faith Dixon. “It’s not like she didn’t know that she had hit Zamir. She drug him. As his body laid beneath her vehicle, she go out and used profanity.”

Moorhead Police say 59-year-old Jacqueline Kay Swanson was arrested Monday evening. Charges of failing to stop for a crash, and felony criminal vehicular operations have been forwarded to the Clay County Attorney’s Office.

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