A couple is in critical condition at Froedtert Hospital after they were run over at a Mount Pleasant grocery store.
Racine County Sheriff Chris Schmaling said Cheryl and Jeffrey Coopman were facing life-threatening injuries after being hit by someone running from a traffic stop this weekend.
The husband and wife were grocery shopping Sunday morning around 10:40 a.m. at Festival Foods when a teen hit them.
“I’m sad. I mean it breaks my heart,” said neighbor Brittney Regenhardt.
Cheryl, 47, and Jeffrey, 53, were hit by a 17-year-old who took off from a traffic stop in the parking lot of Kohl’s Department Store at 5500 Washington Avenue in Mount Pleasant.
The couple was at the other side of the strip mall at Festival Foods. The teen hit them driving at a high rate of speed and then crashed into a pole.
The deputy got out of her squad car and started applying a tourniquet when a Festival Food worker came out and did the same with his belt.
“There’s a lot of credit given to these two individuals, one being my deputy, the other being a random citizen. I’m also told another citizen came forward to apply pressure,” Schmaling said.
According to deputies, the teen was in a stolen car and had been released on bail after a shooting.
“I’m angry that the person who hit them was allowed out of jail. He was allowed to be on the streets. He was allowed to hurt other people,” Regenhardt said.
Their neighbor said the couple has children and grandchildren. Now they are facing serious injuries and amputation.
“I feel helpless for them because it’s going to be a long road of recovery,” Regenhardt said.
The teen has not yet been charged so he is not being named. The sheriff office said he ran away after hitting the couple and was later spotted walking by Mt. Pleasant Police.
