The condition of Amir Taylor, a 9-year-old bicyclist injured last week by a hit-and-run driver, has been upgraded from critical to serious, and his mother said Monday he is breathing on his own.
Also Monday, authorities said investigators have been examining a black pickup truck that was impounded Friday and was similar in description to the vehicle suspected in the case. In a news release, Anoka County Sheriff's Cmdr. Paul Sommer said a lead had come from a body shop in Minneapolis where the vehicle had undergone repairs.
Sommer said investigators had served a search warrant on the registered owner and seized some items from his home. The owner of the vehicle, a 1996 Chevy Z-71, has denied any involvement in the incident, Sommer said.
"At this point, we can't conclusively say that any evidence exists that confirms the vehicle ... is the vehicle involved in the hit and run accident," said the news release. "It is too early in the forensic process for any results to be confirmed."
Coon Rapids Police Capt. John Hattstrom said authorities are following dozens of other leads involving similar truck descriptions. "We are spreading our resources thin trying to follow up on all of these," Hattstrom said. "We can't say at this point for sure that it's the right one."
Amir Taylor's mother, Ravesha Harris, said Monday that Amir was transferred from the intensive care unit at North Memorial to pediatric care on Sunday. "He is very responsive and he started physical therapy today," she said, adding that he is not talking but has been responsive to commands and has been lifting his head and moving his fingers and toes.
KRIS HERNANDEZ
