GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Twice in two weeks, law enforcement officers have hit people with their vehicles. Those people were allegedly running away.
Samuel Sterling, 25, was hit and killed last week by an unmarked Michigan State Police (MSP) vehicle.
The week before that, a West Michigan family has a familiar story, which happened near the intersection of 32nd and Division.
A mother and daughter tearfully hugged each other outside Helen DeVos Children's Hospital. It's a place where they've spent many hours for the last two weeks.
“We don’t know the exact details,” Taylor Daniels, the sister of Riley Doggett, said.
The family does know a little bit about what happened to 17-year-old Riley Doggett.
“They were in a high-speed chase. My brother was the passenger of the car,” Daniels said.
The alleged chase with deputies from the Kent County Sheriff's Office ended near 32nd and Division. The Kent County Sheriff's Office says they were chasing a stolen car when it crashed into two cars in a car lot before the occupants of the vehicle ran away.
“As they were running, a police officer hit him and ran him over,” Daniels said.
Doggett, who loves his two nephews and his family, has been in the hospital since April 8.
“He has bleeding on his brain; he had a stroke,” Daniels said.
“Just waiting. A lot of just waiting for a miracle,” Daniels said.
Doggett suffered injuries to his head. His sister can't help but wish the situation had been handled differently.
“I wish they would have done literally anything. I wish they would have Tased him. Chased him. Anything other than a car. Any injury other than his head, honestly,” Daniels said.
Just nine days after Doggett was hit and hurt, Samuel Sterling, 25, was hit and killed while running from an unmarked Michigan State Police vehicle.
“They took a vehicle and killed my cousin and took a vehicle and accidentally allegedly hit young Riley," says Jermar Sterling, Samuel Sterling's cousin. "Until both families see the video, we’re going to have to speculate.”
Former Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack says these families both deserve answers.
“This is not a black or white thing. This is a wrong versus right thing,” Robert Womack said.
Doggett's family are hoping for the best, despite going through the worst.
“We are having a community prayer, just to bring more awareness to what happened to him. And also pray and hope for a miracle. Just hope my brother wakes up,” Daniels said.
A prayer vigil for Doggett is being held at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital starting Monday evening at 8 p.m. Everyone is being asked to park in the ramp across the street from the hospital, not the circle drive of the hospital, so emergency vehicles can get through.
The Kent County Sheriff's Office initially said they asked Michigan State Police to investigate this incident.
RELATED: Sheriff's office also praying for teen
MSP says the investigation is ongoing.
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