MURRAY, Utah — Murray police need your help identifying two suspects accused of running over a Deseret Industries store worker after being suspected of stealing from the store.
Wendy Willes, the victim's mother says he has a long road of recovery ahead.
"I was like oh my goodness what happened?" Willes said. "He's like 'mom I usually just stop them and they throw the stuff at me and run away.' No one has ever tried to harm him before."
Willes says she was shocked after she learned about what happened to her son.
"It's disappointing, it's disbelief. What happened to humanity?" She said. "Items are never more important than people."
The incident happened Friday afternoon in the parking lot of the DI store in Murray, located at 11 East and 4500 South. Wille's son tried to stop two shoppers after suspecting they had stolen from the store. The suspects ran him over with a trailer they were pulling behind their car after he and other workers approached their vehicle and asked to see a receipt.
"The guy just pressed on the gas really hard, went really fast, hit the speed bump which threw my son off." Willes added. "As they drove off the trailer they were towing ran over his legs."
Her son was sent to the emergency room with multiple injuries as a result.
"He had a dislocated knee, and a fractured femur," she said. "And some road rash and bumps and bruises, he hit his head."
With the damage to his leg, he faces surgery and long-term rehabilitation.
"He's non-weight bearing on that leg. He'll have months of recovery," Willes added. "It looks like kind of a long road of recovery for him."
Her son has worked at the Murray store for two years. Willes said she appreciates what the DI is doing after what happened to him.
"They've been in contact with him several times a day. Making sure he's okay, letting him know they care about him and are praying for him," she said. "They're being really good to work with."
Murray police are looking for two suspects last seen driving a 1990's model maroon Suburban SUV. The car is said to have a silver pinstripe, and was pulling a trailer.
"You know you just want to hold people accountable when they make a really poor choice," Willes said.
If you have any information about the incident, call the Murray Police Department's tip-line at (801) 840-4000. You can also submit a tip on their website.
This is a developing story. More information will be added as it's received.
