Fundraiser to help injured teen, Kris Miles, will be at Whole Foods today

A fundraiser to help Kris Miles, who was gravely injured by a car in a crosswalk near Wy’east Middle School in January 2009, will run from 4 to 6 p.m. today at Whole Foods Market in Fisher’s Landing.

Kris, now a sophomore at Mountain View High School, has grown five inches since the accident and outgrown his wheelchair, according to a bulletin from Marie Ogier, a volunteer with Sparrow Clubs USA. The club has adopted Kris to help, she said.

Pizza will be sold at Whole Foods, 815 S.E. 160th Ave, off Mill Plain Boulevard and just west of 164th Avenue. Proceeds will go to help buy a new wheelchair and help Kris’ family with other expenses, the bulletin said.

Kris had been riding a bicycle home from Wy’east when the driver of a Chevrolet Blazer struck him in a crosswalk — and dragged him for 130 feet before stopping, Vancouver police said at the time.

The popular, humorous student and skillful Little League baseball player wasn’t wearing a helmet, wasn’t watching for traffic and was listening to music on earbuds, police said. He suffered massive head injuries and more.

SUV’S FRONT-LEFT ROOF SUPPORT BLOCKED VIEW

Vancouver police investigators said the driver who hit Kris didn’t see him because she failed to move her head to look around her SUV’s front driver-side roof support as she approached the crosswalk. The accident occurred on an afternoon with dry streets and good visibility. The driver had stopped at a stop sign and wasn’t speeding, witnesses told police.

John Branton: 360-735-4513 or john.branton@columbian.com.