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Driver Charged With Dragging 7-Year-Old Apologizes

WESTMINSTER, Colo. (CBS4) - A driver whose pickup hit a 7-year-old boy and dragged him 50 feet in Westminster told CBS4 on Friday he never saw the child.

Martin Cardona-Avila, 48, was released on a summons after being charged with careless driving causing bodily injury in the incident.

Rylie Carbonneau was riding a tricycle on West 132nd Avenue on Monday night when he was hit and dragged. Neighbors told CBS4 blood was pouring from the boy, and that he was screaming.

According to a police report, surveillance video showed Cardona-Avila's truck come to a complete stop for about two seconds at a stop sign just moments before the accident.

"I don't feel good at all. I mean, I'm sorry that it happened. It was just an accident," Cardona-Avila said. "I was driving along and I did my stop and all of a sudden the child came from I don't know where. I don't see him."

Carbonneau's parents haven't returned CBS4's calls asking for a comment. In an e-mail, the child's grandfather Lee wrote that he has two broken legs. One of the legs is bad enough that doctors would have amputated the leg if the boy had been older. Doctors at Children's Hospital are currently are trying to save the leg.

"I hope he gets better and I'm going to do whatever I can to help this child," Cardona-Avila said.

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