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News Calgary & Alberta
Left for dead over cellphone
By KATIE SCHNEIDER, CALGARY SUN
Last Updated: April 3, 2011 12:48am
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As his severely injured son recovers in hospital, a Calgary father is outraged his boy was dragged several metres by a car and left for dead — all over a cellphone.
Matt Roberts, 18, was on his way home from his girlfriend’s house Wednesday about 9 p.m., and had just stepped off the C-train near Sunridge Mall when his night turned into a nightmare.
A four-door silver car pulled up with four men claiming to need to borrow a phone, said his dad Wayne Roberts.
“A passenger got out of the car and said they were having trouble with their vehicle and asked for assistance and asked if he had a phone. He loaned them his BlackBerry.”
After the passenger got back in the car and pretended to make a call, the driver backed up and Matt realized he was being robbed.
“Matt tried to reach in and get his phone back and the driver floored it,” Wayne said.
“He lost his balance and grabbed hold of the side of the car to save his own life.”
His son was dragged seven metres until he fell off and hit his head. “They left him for dead,” he said.
He is now recovering in the Foothills hospital trauma unit with six broken ribs, a broken sternum, shoulder blade and fingers, a spine fracture, head injuries, and a mangled ear.
“He is in a lot of pain,” Wayne said, adding he will likely be in the hospital for three to four more weeks.
“I am extremely angry. He could have been killed.”
The car was possibly a Honda or Acura and three of the men were dark skinned while the fourth, the one who took the phone, is black.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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