Atmore child struck by car

Published 10:19 pm Wednesday, August 8, 2001

By By SHERRY DIGMON
Advance Staff Writer
An Atmore youth remains in critical condition following an accident on Jack Springs Road Saturday night.
Ryan Bateman Rawlinson, 13, apparently was riding his bicycle across the highway when he was struck by a car driven by Laura Kidd Hixon of Monroeville.
The accident happened about 9:30 at Fuller's Mobile Home Park where Ryan lives.
According to his mother, Diane Rawlinson, Ryan was still unresponsive Monday afternoon. Doctors were planning to do reconstructive surgery on his crushed left ankle Monday, but had to postpone it due to swelling in the brain. A shunt was inserted to drain fluid from the brain. His right femur is pinned in three places.
Rawlinson said she had told the boys n her two sons and a friend who was staying over n to get their showers and get ready for bed that night. Ryan asked if they could ride their bikes just 15 more minutes. She told them to go ahead but to stay within the confines of the mobile home park. Ryan didn't.
Dempsey Bell was headed south toward town on Jack Springs Road. He met the car driven by Hixon which was headed north. Bell said Ryan came right behind his back bumper and into Hixon's path. He told Hixon at the scene that there was no way she could have avoided hitting him.
Ryan was transported by Atmore Ambulance to Atmore Community Hospital and was tranferred to Sacred Heart in Pensacola.

Sign up for our daily email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox