Father asks driver who hit his children with van to surrender

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – A Kalamazoo father is pleading for the driver who hit his two children with a van to surrender.

Dave Badham says he and his daughter have been released from the hospital, but his son is still being treated. The boy is now in fair condition.

Badham is calling for the community to help him catch the driver responsible for a Tuesday night hit and run that ripped his family apart.

“Had I ran down one of your children you would be damn sure I would have been the first person on the scene to see what I could do to help you,” said Badham.

The single father has been reliving the horror after watching the family dog, Piper, leap into harm’s way to shield his four-year-old son Sid and two-year-old daughter Gemma at the intersection of Egleston Avenue and Race Street.

“If it weren’t for that dog, my son would be dead right now,” said Badham. “The dog went underneath the vehicle and hit Sid and laid him down on top of the vehicle, if it weren’t for that dog that would have been my son under the tire.”

Sid was still badly injured in the crash.

“I heard him screaming so I knew he was alive, which was a relief,” said Badham. “I wanted to console him but I couldn’t deal with the whole top of his head flapped open, I could see his skull.”

Police are still collecting evidence and searching for the driver, Badham has remained at his son’s side, in awe that he survived his injuries.

“I thought Sid wasn’t moving, I thought for sure he was dead,” said Badham. “I knew Gemma was okay because I saw her out of my peripheral stand up and lay down next to him. She was just trying to get consoled by her brother.”

Badham says he just wants the driver to surrender to police.

“Whomever you may be you need to turn yourself in because you are going to be caught and exacerbate the situation to a point where you aren’t going to like where you end up,” said Badham.

Additionally, Piper, the beloved family dog has not been seen since the crash. The family hopes she is alive and will return home soon.

Police say the van involved is burgundy or brown with side mirror damage and may be a 2001-2007 Dodge or Chrysler model.

Police urge anyone with information on the crash or the whereabouts of Piper to give them a call.