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Police: Road-rage incident results in Deltona boy, 5, being struck by car

DELTONA, Fla. — Deputies said they're searching for a driver who hit a 5-year-old boy in Deltona Wednesday.

Channel 9 learned the boy, Luis Ortiz, had to be airlifted to a local hospital. Authorities said he is in stable condition with broken bones in his upper left leg and lower right leg, along with some bumps and bruises to his lower body.


Witnesses said that two vehicles, a gold car and a green pickup truck, were engaged in a road-rage confrontation while driving on E. Normandy Boulevard.

Witnesses said the drivers of the two vehicles were throwing things at each other and weaving in and out of traffic.

"The guy was fighting. It was two cars fighting," said witness Carlos Soler. "The guy tried to throw something to the other guy, and he lost control."

At about 12:16 p.m., witnesses said the driver of the gold car threw something and then suddenly lost control. The car struck a bench near the intersection of East Normandy and East Hancock Drive, where Luis, his father, his sister and another man were waiting for a bus.

"I heard the noise, and we just ran out and saw the guy picking up the boy," said Soler.

Authorities said that after hitting the boy, the car turned into the parking lot of nearby Deltona Christian Church and then drove off.

"He just went to another street and after that I lost him," said Soler.

The car is believed to be a late 1990s or early 2000s gold, four-door Chrysler Sebring, with heavy damage to the front passenger side.

The driver was described as a light-skinned Hispanic man in his early 20s with a shaved head, authorities said.

Deputies said they are also looking for the people in the pickup truck that was involved in the road rage in case they have any useful information.

Authorities said that vehicle was a green pickup truck with a camper top and several veterans' stickers on the back. There was also a memorial sticker on it that read "Cody Kuffner, 1988 – 2008."

No one else was injured.

Anyone with information about either vehicle is asked to contact the Sheriff's Office at 386-860-7030 or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida, toll-free, at (888) 277-TIPS.

Resident can also text a tip by texting "TIP231 plus the message" to CRIMES. Tipsters who provide information to Crime Stoppers will remain anonymous and can qualify for a reward of up to $1,000.