Mashpee man pleads not guilty in Yarmouth hit-and-run where a boy was seriously injured

Zane Razzaq, Cape Cod Times
·2 min read
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BARNSTABLE —  A Mashpee man pleaded not guilty Monday during his arraignment in Barnstable District Court on charges related to an Aug. 20 hit-and-run crash, according to a court clerk.

Jakob Gifford, 18, was arrested Saturday and charged with leaving the scene of an accident after causing personal injury, according to a Yarmouth police press release.

The hit-and-run crash in Yarmouth injured an 8-year-old boy, according to the police.

Gifford also faces charges of negligent operation of a motor vehicle and withholding evidence from a criminal proceeding, according to Yarmouth police.

In a statement to the Cape Cod Times, Emir Sehic, Gifford's lawyer, called the circumstances "a very tragic situation" and said the "entire Gifford family feels badly that the child was injured and are praying for a full recovery."

An 18-year-old man was arrested on Saturday in relation to a hit-and-run crash that left an 8-year-old boy seriously injured, Yarmouth police said on Monday. In the photo, an officer stands by a scooter at the scene of the Aug. 20 hit-and-run.
An 18-year-old man was arrested on Saturday in relation to a hit-and-run crash that left an 8-year-old boy seriously injured, Yarmouth police said on Monday. In the photo, an officer stands by a scooter at the scene of the Aug. 20 hit-and-run.

"As this matter proceeds through the course of hearings and discovery, additional information will be obtained and reviewed," said Sehic. "Until then, Mr. Gifford is entitled to his right to present a defense and innocence until proven guilty."

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On Sunday night Gifford's bail was set to $1,000, which was posted, but during his arraignment bail was increased by Judge Therese M. Wright to $2,500, the clerk said.

A probable cause hearing was scheduled for Oct. 24. Gifford has been ordered to not operate a motor vehicle and surrender his driver's license.

Boy struck on scooter on Higgins Crowell Road

Around 9:45 a.m. on Aug. 20, police said the driver of an SUV struck and seriously injured an 8-year-old boy riding a scooter on Higgins Crowell Road before fleeing. Police described the car as possibly a grey Mercedes-Benz.

When police arrived, bystanders were administering first aid to the boy. Yarmouth Fire Department EMTs took the boy to Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, where he was then taken by medical rescue helicopter to Boston.

Previous reporting:  8-year-old boy seriously injured in hit-and-run crash in Yarmouth

Since then, the 8-year-old boy has been released from the hospital and is home with family recovering from his injuries. He will also require additional medical procedures in the future, according to police.

"The Yarmouth Police would like to thank the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Department and the Cape Cod Regional Accident Reconstruction Unit for their assistance with the investigation," the Yarmouth Police Department wrote on Facebook.

Zane Razzaq writes about housing and real estate. Reach her at zrazzaq@capecodonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @zanerazz.

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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Yarmouth hit-and-run crash suspect from Mashpee pleads not guilty