Community Corner

Fundraisers for Yucaipa Teen Struck by Driver Accused of Felony Hit-and-Run, DUI

Fundraisers are under way and in the planning stages for a Yucaipa teen who was seriously injured last week when he was struck by a motorist accused of felony hit-and-run and DUI, according to family friends and the Sheriff's Department.

Adam Downer, 16, a student athlete at Yucaipa High, has been in intensive care at Loma Linda University Medical Center since Friday June 7, Nonnie Nafzgar of Yucaipa said in a phone interview.

"My husband went to visit Adam at Loma Linda this morning," Nafzgar said Friday June 14. "He's been moving around a lot, but he's been sleeping or unconscious most of the time. He did wake up for a time yesterday, and that gave the family a real shot of hope."

Adam was bringing in trash bins from the side of the road before 3 p.m. June 7 when an eastbound motorist drifted off the roadway and struck him in the 32200 block of Avenue E, family friends and Yucaipa Station deputies said.

The driver did not stop, but a witness saw what happened and followed the vehicle to Avenue E and 13th Street, where he detained the driver, deputies said in a report on the incident.

Deputies arrived and the driver was identified as Debra Diane James, 57, of Yucaipa. She was arrested at 3:14 p.m. June 7 on suspicion of felony hit-and-run and driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage, according to deputies and inmate records.

James was released from custody shortly after 11 p.m. Tuesday June 11, according to inmate records. She could not be reached to comment for this report.

Immediately after the crash, Adam was taken to Loma Linda University Medical Center with serious head, hip and leg injuries, deputies said. He faces a long recovery and his family is coping with mounting medical expenses.

Friends of Adam and the Downer family have formed Team Adam and they have several fundraisers in the works, Diane Galeano of Yucaipa said Friday in a phone interview.

- A spaghetti dinner is planned Friday June 21 in the Yucaipa High School gym, Nafzgar said. Yucaipa High is at 33000 Yucaipa Blvd. Details for the dinner were still being worked out Friday June 14.

- A car wash is planned 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday June 22 at Yucaipa High. For more information visit this Team Adam event page on Facebook, or call Nafzgar at (909) 289-4533 or Galeano at (909) 266-4603.

- A poker tournament is planned at 5:30 p.m. Saturday July 13 at Kafe Royale, 1007 Calimesa Blvd., Suite K, in Calimesa. Buy in is $25 and cards will be dealt at 6 p.m. For more information visit this Team Adam event page.

In the meantime, a site to make donations for Adam and his family has been set up online at gofundme.com. As of 3:30 p.m. Friday June 7, the site had raised $3,495 toward its stated goal of $1 million. The Team Adam Donation Funds page is at http://www.gofundme.com/383tsg.


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