San Marcos teen critically injured in e-bike accident, suspect arrested for hit-and-run

SAN MARCOS, Calif. – A short ride on an e-bike almost cost a teenager his life in San Marcos.

While Jonathan Ramos remains in the hospital, the man accused of running him over and fleeing the scene faced a judge and the teen's mother Thursday.

CBS 8 spoke with Ramos' mother, Maria Martinez, and she said her son was a minute from home. Now her 16-year-old son remains in critical condition.

On September 17, he was hit by a suspected hit-and-run driver who, we learned, has a prior conviction for drunk driving.

Martinez said her son is a straight-A student who loves basketball, hiking and spending time with his friends.

“He's just a joy to be around, he's a very respectful young man,” she added.

She says he was coming home from a friend's home around 9 p.m. last Tuesday when she received a call informing him that her son was bleeding and unresponsive in the middle of the street near the intersection of West Mission Road and Knoll Road in San Marcos .

“He was literally a minute from where we lived,” Martinez said.

Prosecutors said 23-year-old Alan Reyes was behind the wheel and drove off.

“He didn't bother to check if the victim was alive, he didn't even call 911, he just went home,” he said.

There was a lot of support for the defendant in court. His family told CBS 8 he would never harm a fly, but we learned he had already been convicted of reckless driving two years ago.

This means he was driving with alcohol in his blood but below the legal limit. Prosecutors say he doubled the speed limit this time.

“Witnesses say he was speeding, trying to go through a yellow light, going 80 miles per hour, your honor, the speed limit is 45 miles per hour,” he said.

Crime Stoppers had offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. Two days later, sheriff's deputies told us an anonymous tip led them to the truck. A white GMC Sierra believed to be involved in the crash had visible damage consistent with debris left at the scene. MPs said there were clear attempts to cover up the matter. Reyes eventually turned himself in and pleaded not guilty.

“I know you felt it, why didn’t you stop? Imagine if there were no witnesses, you wanted to let my child die?” Martinez said.

Ramos has a punctured lung, damage to his spleen, kidney and liver, three broken ribs, a knee and ankle injury, a concussion and cuts covering his body. He wasn't wearing a helmet, so his mother says his recovery is remarkable.

“Yesterday he was already following orders, it was like wiggling his toes, that's what he did. Oh, your mother is here and he actually opened his eyes,” she said.

Bail for Reyes was set at $100,000.

For those of you who live or work in San Marcos, the Sheriff's Department is still asking you to come forward if you witnessed this accident or caught it on a surveillance camera.

RELATED: Officers arrest man accused of hit-and-run in San Marcos that seriously injured a teenager on an e-bike