By Elizabeth Ridenour
A 7-year-old boy was injured about 6 p.m. Thursday when he rode a bicycle into the path of a car being driven by the Muskogee High School head football coach.
Chase Thornton sustained a broken collarbone, road rash on a leg and shoulder and a knot on his head, said Capt. Chad Farmer.
According to a Muskogee Regional Medical Center spokeswoman, Thornton was treated and released.
“The kid rode out between two cars, and apparently Coach (Matt) Hennesy didn’t see him,” Farmer said.
After they were already at MRMC, Chase’s family notified police, Farmer said.
Police were looking over state statutes Thursday evening and planned to submit the reports to the district attorney today.
“He (Hennesy) did stop. He did call a parent. He did get him medical treatment with a trainer,” Farmer said. “But he didn’t call us.”
When contacted by the Phoenix, Hennesy’s response was “I ought to be dealing with tomorrow night’s game — not this crap.”
Hennesy said he was leaving Indian Bowl when the collision happened.
“I was leaving the stadium when this kid ran into the front of my car,” he said. “It was the kid’s fault.”
Hennesy got a phone number for Chase’s father and called him. Hennesy then got one of his players to carry Chase inside a training room at Indian Bowl, where he left him with a certified athlete trainer and another adult. When they assured him they would take care of the boy, Hennesy left to attend a team dinner, he said.
He also didn’t check on Chase after he was taken to MRMC by his father, Hennesy said.
Hennesy said he didn’t call police to file a report because under the circumstances, he was not required to.
“I’m not going to file a report against a little kid, even though my car was damaged,” he said. “It was the kid’s fault.”
Reach Elizabeth Ridenour at 684-2929 or eridenour@ muskogeephoenix.com.
