Officials arrest man in hit-and-run that injured child, father

Officials have charged a man in connection with a hit-and-run that injured a man and his 6-year-old-son in Vance County in August.

Troopers with the State Highway Patrol said Christopher Ryan Tyndall, 25, of Kenly, fled the scene after the Aug. 25 crash, which ejected the pair from their motorcycle and sent them to the hospital with serious injuries.

Tyndall has been charged with felony hit and run, reckless driving and driving without a license. He was transported to the Vance County Jail and was being held Wednesday on a $75,000 secured bond.

Aaron Elliott and his son, Hunter, were riding a motorcycle on U.S. Highway 39 when they were struck from behind as they were about to make a right turn. Hunter's leg was badly damaged, but neither victim suffered life-threatening injuries.

The father and son duo was headed to a car show and McDonald’s until their motorcycle ride turned into an ambulance ride to Duke Hospital.

“It was my first time,” Hunter said. “I was just getting ready to turn into my mom’s driveway and someone hit us from behind.”

Hunter’s father said he held onto the motorcycle and his son after the crash, but the boy ultimately fell off the bike. “The first thing I hear is the tires squeal behind me and they kind of lock up and scare me a little bit. It’s like bracing for impact, you know what’s about to happen. When it happened, I just kind of held on to the motorcycle and grabbed him,” Elliott said.

Aaron Elliott waited for months to find out who was responsible for harming his son.

“I just want them to come forward, you know, and try and accept the responsibility for what they’ve done,” Elliott said.

Despite having several surgeries on his leg, Hunter is still finding ways to smile.

“I got a Nerf gun to shoot the nurses,” he said.

“For a couple of days, I felt so guilty and kind of took a lot of blame and just seeing him in good spirits just kind of makes me feel better,” Elliott said.