QUILCENE — A 15-year-old boy is recovering at a Seattle hospital after suffering life-threatening injuries in a two-vehicle collision earlier this month.
Trent Haltom of Quilcene suffered a massive brain injury and both his fibula and tibia were broken after being struck by an SUV on Aug. 8, according to a gofundme page started by Colleen Winn, a Quilcene paraeducator.
“Family flew in from out of state to be with his grandma (who has been raising the boys) and Trent’s twin brother Bryce,” Winn said on Haltom’s gofundme page. “But the cost of staying close to Trent in Seattle has been a lot on the family. Not only are they paying for their hotel, but food, gas, ferry, and their household expenses still need to be paid.
“So, we are trying to help the family out by taking a little stress off their shoulders. This is an amazing family with a heart of gold.”
As of Friday, the campaign — https://www.gofundme.com/f/join-us-in-supporting-trent-hs-recovery-journey — had raised almost $22,000 of its $25,000 goal.
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Sgt. Brett Anglin said deputies responded to a call at 9:21 p.m. Aug. 8. The caller, a 73-year-old Quilcene woman, had struck Haltom, who had been riding a mini-bike south on Center Road, Anglin said.
“The 73-year-old resident advised that she was heading home,” Anglin said. “It was hours of darkness and there were no lights on the mini bike, or anything indicating that it was there, during night hours.
“The woman said she saw something out of the corner of her eye, it crossed in front of her, and she struck it. She then realized it was a mini-bike. It appeared that the juvenile had crossed into the lane of travel to take a left turn into Old Tarboo Road and was struck by the woman from Quilcene.”
Haltom was not wearing helmet, Anglin said.
Haltom was flown to a hospital in Seattle, according to the gofundme page. Once there, doctors discovered a hematoma in Haltom’s brain. They quickly acted to release pressure by removing part of his skull. Doctors also found that Haltom’s lungs had been punctured and that there was air between his lungs and his ribs. In response, they inserted a tube to release the pressure.
On Aug. 13, doctors performed leg surgery to repair Haltom’s broken bones, according to the gofundme page.
Haltom was given an ultrasound on his left arm on Aug. 15 due to unknown swelling from his elbow down; the gofundme page did not report any findings or updates.
Haltom had been speaking in a quiet and raspy voice on Aug. 18, according to an update Winn provided on the gofundme page.
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Reporter Elijah Sussman can be reached by email at elijah.sussman@sequimgazette.com.
