Community rallies to support Avon High student following hit-and-run

The Avon community is rallying to support a high school student.

He was left in critical condition after a horrible hit-and-run.

“Terrible what happened. Absolutely. It's just kids being the same age. It really hits you close, you know?” Danny Kash, of Avon, said.

Families turned out at Puerto Vallarta in Avon for a fundraiser for the Shields family.

Liam was badly hurt after a hit-and-run and is sophomore at Avon High.

“He's a really fun person to be around. He's really funny. Like, he's always like, he's always in a good mood,” Mairin Kenney, an Avon High junior, said.

Avon Police report he was riding a bike when a Subaru Forester struck him on Arch Road on Friday.

“You don't expect anything to happen to because, you know, he's always got a helmet on and it's always got lights on his bike and everything,” Kenney said.

In a press release, investigators say he “….was then trapped on the roof of the vehicle and carried a distance of over four miles…”

Detectives say the car finally pulled over on Harris Road.

They say, “the operator then stopped to push the juvenile off the roof and continue on his way.”

“The details seem almost unbelievable, quite frankly. And as the details kind of unfold, you know, it was, I think, important for the community to come out and be present and spend time here,” Kent Herzog, of Avon, said.

With thousands of dollars already raised for the family through fundraisers, officers are also thanking Good Samaritans who discovered Liam hurt on the side of the road and along with first responders who helped him.

We’re told he’s in critical condition and being treated at Hartford Hospital.

“It's like the worst nightmare I can imagine. So I'm praying for the family. Hopefully everything. Hopefully he recovers quickly and we're all praying for him,” Danny Kash said.

Polie say Good Samaritans were also key to tracking down the suspect.

Alex Rivera is now facing several charges and more could be coming.

Avon Police say they notified the school district about the crash. School staff prepared for students to return to classes on Monday.

In an email to NBC Connecticut, superintendent B H Carnemolla wrote in part:

“Our staff has been and will continue to provide supports to our students and others as we all try to make sense of such a terrible tragedy. What the victim and their family need right now are positive thoughts, prayers, and for us to give them the space they need to focus on recovery.”