ST. LOUIS — For the last five years, Joe Tyler has enjoyed his daily routine of walking his best friend, Skiff in their Soulard neighborhood, he said.
They were on the road again around 8:45 Thursday morning.
"We had been out since around eight. I was headed back home west on 12th Street. I had the right of way, the green light," the 42-year-old said Joe Tyler said.
He and his 130-pound newfoundland-mix tried to cross the street.
"A car was coming down Russell, turned right on to 12th street, right at the red light and barreled into my side," Joe Tyler said, recalling the crash.
Surveillance cameras from a nearby restaurant caught it on video.
Joe told police a black Chevrolet Impala with tinted windows knocked him out of his motorized wheelchair, left him in the street, and left the scene.
"I'm upset about that. I looked up and saw there weren't any plates on the car. Yes, I could have died. It was super scary. I'm lucky to be here," Joe Tyler said.
Luckily, he didn't suffer any major injuries.
"I'm hurting, Robert. My back is crunched up. I was in the emergency room all day on Thursday. They did CT scans and X-rays. Nothing is broken, and I'm so glad about that," he said.
His beloved dog, Skiff, is also okay.
"I'm grateful he's still with us," Joe Tyler said.
Joe's wife, Karen, took him to a hospital.
"It's heartbreaking to see something like that— and scary. I'm just thankful that he's okay," said Karen Tyler.
At this point, police still don't know if the driver who hit Joe Tyler is a man, a woman or a teenager.
What is certain, though, is that the driver is still somewhere out there.
"The lawlessness in the streets must stop. The person should know to stop and be responsible for what they did," Joe Tyler said. "They just left me out there with my dog and never stopped to see if I was alright. That's just not right. They need to be caught."
His banged-up, motorized wheels are not riding the same since the crash.
"Yeah, my wheelchair is all messed up. I need a new one now," said the lucky survivor as he kissed his Skiff.
"So many people don't survive these type of things. I'm just so happy to be alive," said Tyler.
A go-fund-me is set up to help Tyler get a new, motorized wheelchair. For more information about that, click here.