GoFundMe Launched To Help Man Hit By Car In Naugatuck

NAUGATUCK, CT — A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to raise money for Joel "Brandon" Guth, a 42-year-old Naugatuck man who was struck by a car last week after confronting a suspect attempting to burglarize his vehicle.

The campaign, organized by Guth's sister, has raised over $26,000 as of Monday afternoon.

According to the page's description, Guth is currently in a coma and on a ventilator with a brain injury and a collapsed lung, among other injuries. The funds raised by the campaign will go toward his medical bills.

Police said Guth left his Alma Street home around 4:30 a.m. on July 12 to confront suspects attempting to burglarize his vehicle. While doing so, he was intentionally struck by a black car, which fled the scene and left Guth in the road with life-threatening injuries.

"This is such a tragic thing to happen to our family," the GoFundMe page description reads. "We are still In a state of disbelief and why someone could do such a thing."

An update posted to the page Thursday noted swelling in Guth's brain has gone down since the incident, however he is expected to be on a ventilator for a while.

"We are hopeful Brandon is on the road to recovery, but he is very clearly not out of the woods yet," the update reads. "At this point it is a waiting game. Anyone who knows Brandon knows he is extremely tough. We will take all of the positivity and support we can get right now."

Police said Wednesday a vehicle that is believed to be related to this incident had been seized and is being investigated by officers. The department also extended their sympathy to Guth's family.

See also: Police ID Naugatuck Man Struck By Car After Interrupting Break-In

"Brandon was not just as a member of the community," police said in a recent news release, "but also a hard-working son and loving brother."

Those who wish to donate to the GoFundMe page can do so here.

Anyone with footage of car break-ins or any other information about this incident is asked to contact Naugatuck police at 203-729-5221 or via the department's confidential tip line at 203-720-1010.

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