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HIT AND RUN Grants Pass hit-and-run leaves Iowa man in coma; police seek clues Comment By Jeff Duewel and Shaun Hall Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Jeff Duewel and Shaun Hall Daily Courier Posted Sep. 6, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Jeff Duewel and Shaun Hall Daily Courier Posted Sep. 6, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News A year ago, Luke Leclere's older sister Chrissy Rea bought him a plane ticket to Oregon from Iowa, where they were living together. "He's a free spirit, sort of a renegade cowboy," Rea said. On Aug. 24 the 30-year-old Leclere, after leaving work on a farm west of Grants Pass, was walking along the side of the road where Demaray Drive merges with the Redwood Highway. Sometime around 10:30 p.m., Leclere's life was torn apart. An unknown driver in an unknown car smashed into him and then left the scene, police believe. An unnamed person found him lying in the road. Today, Leclere is in a coma at the intensive care unit of Oregon Health & Science University in Portland with severe head trauma, his skull broken in three places. He also had damage to his carotid artery, a lacerated spleen and liver, and a broken collarbone, pelvis and leg. Doctors said on a coma scale of 3 to 15, with 3 the worst, her brother is a 7, up from a 5 a couple of days prior, because he's moving around more. "He is showing only what the doctors consider reflexive motions," said Rea, who has been by her brother's side in Portland. Until his breathing tube can be removed, it will be difficult to move Leclere to the skilled nursing facility he needs. Rea also wants to get her brother back to Des Moines, Iowa, where she lives and Luke lived most of his life. That could cost her $25,000. She is also dealing with a 7-year-old son diagnosed with leukemia. She has set up an online fundraiser for her brother, at www.youcaring.com/luke-leclere-637123 . "To be honest, he wouldn't want me to keep him like this long-term," Rea said. Detectives are trying to figure out who was driving the car that struck Leclere. On Aug. 30, investigators were back at the scene of the collision, using surveying equipment to take measurements. Orange cones directed traffic around the spot where Leclere had been struck, on the Demaray Drive on-ramp, just before it merges into the highway. Green paint marked the spot. An Oregon State Police accident reconstruction expert, Senior Trooper Josh Quick, was assisted by two Grants Pass police officers and an Oregon Department of Transportation crew. "We're hoping someone will come forward and tell us what happened," Grants Pass police Detective Sgt. Dan Evans said. "I would venture to say the person who struck him knows they struck something." There's reasons why a driver might leave the scene of an accident, including fear, guilt or impairment, Evans said. Or maybe the driver had a warrant out for his or her arrest. One thing seems clear, though: The vehicle should have noticeable damage. A possible charge in the case is leaving the scene of an injury crash, which is a felony, he said. Evans didn't know if the motorist had braked or swerved, nor did he know why Leclere was in the area that night, or if Leclere had been trying to cross the highway. Leclere has no permanent home in the area, according to Evans. He was wearing dark clothing that night and there was no moon. The area is not well lighted. The impact knocked him some distance, and left a trail of items, including a backpack. Evans is asking anyone with information to call. "Anything helps," he said. "If someone drove by and saw the debris, or maybe passed by and thought they saw something in the middle of the road." Grants Pass police Detective Ryan Brown is the lead investigator on the case. Reach him at 541-450-6260. Leclere's sister just wants to bring her brother home and also find out how it happened. "No one deserves that, to be left on the side of the road to die," Rea said. — Reach reporter Jeff Duewel at 541-474-3720 or [email protected]. By Jeff Duewel and Shaun Hall Daily Courier MailTribune.com By Jeff Duewel and Shaun Hall Daily Courier Posted Sep. 6, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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