LEWISTON — A local toddler was running around his family’s apartment Tuesday, one day after being airlifted to a Portland hospital because his father backed into him with the family car.

Despite bruising to his face and head, Lucas Holmes, 2, was pitter-pattering around his family’s kitchen and living room at the Hillview Apartment Complex on Rideout Avenue and appeared to be recovering from the mishap.

The boy’s father, Ron Holmes, was moving the car Monday morning and said he didn’t see the child behind him. And, despite media reports to the contrary, Holmes said the vehicle didn’t run over his son.  

“I bumped into him,” Holmes said, expressing frustration with media reports that suggested Lucas had been completely run over. 

Police said Holmes didn’t realize the child was outside when he was attempting to move the car from a parking lot to the street in preparation for a family trip. He hadn’t noticed that his son had followed him out of the apartment. The couple has a younger child that the mother was caring for inside the apartment, according to police. 

After answering the door at the family’s apartment Tuesday afternoon, Holmes called to the child and Lucas came running out to see who was visiting. He offered a hearty, “Hi,” and a wave to a visiting reporter.

Holmes declined the Sun Journal’s request for a photo of the child.

Other than letting people know the toddler was doing fine, Holmes said the family didn’t want any additional publicity.  

On Monday, Lucas was first taken to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston but was then flown by medical helicopter to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where he was kept overnight before being released Tuesday.  

Lt. Adam Higgins, a spokesman for the Lewiston Police Department, said the accident remained under investigation but that no charges had been filed as of Tuesday afternoon.

sthistle@sunjournal.com

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