Victim In Needham Hit-And-Run Suffered Serious Injuries; Out Of Work For Weeks, Friend Says

NEEDHAM, MA — A man who was struck in a hit-and-run on Route 128 South faces a long road to recovery.

James Richards, a friend of Yanni Giannarikas, wrote on GoFundMe that it is likely that Giannarikas will miss weeks, if not months of work due to the injuries sustained in the crash.

At about 10 p.m. Friday night, state police received a report of a hit and run crash involving a pedestrian on the southbound side of the highway at exit 19 in Needham.

A police investigation indicates that Giannarikas pulled his vehicle into the breakdown lane because his vehicle's engine was overheating. After he left the vehicle, he was struck by a Jeep traveling past his location. The vehicle that struck the pedestrian did not stop and continued traveling southbound, police said.

Richards wrote that the Jeep's mirror hit him so hard in the back that it broke off and thew the victim to the ground. The driver of the jeep pulled over about a quarter-mile down the road, and fled the scene.

Due to the expected lost income for the father of a 2-year-old son, Richards has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise awareness, find the driver, and assist his friend financially.

Click here to contribute to the fund.

Image via GoFundMe