Puppy Seriously Injured In Hit-And-Run Outside Encinitas Restaurant

ENCINITAS, CA — An Encinitas family is seeking the community's support after a hit-and-run driver seriously injured their beloved puppy this week outside their family-owned restaurant.

On Monday morning, Larah Bachelier arrived to Manna Leucadia with the family's 8-month-old puppy, Charlie, to prepare for opening.

The new restaurant on North Coast Highway 101 opened its doors in June. Bachelier's husband, Andrew Bachelier, is the chef and owner.

"I was going into our restaurant like I do pretty much every morning, just cleaning and setting up for service," Bachelier told Patch. "It was quiet out, as I just dropped my kids off at school."

As Bachelier stepped out of her car, Charlie darted into oncoming traffic in front of the restaurant. One driver, which the family said was speeding, struck Charlie and fled the scene.

"(We are) very blessed to have Charlie alive," Bachelier said. "He should not have survived that."

Charlie sustained multiple serious injuries in the crash, including a collapsed and punctured lung, a broken rib, a fractured femur and a fractured tibia.

Although a "kind neighbor" pursued the driver of the car involved in the hit-and-run and attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver "sped away even faster," Andrew Bachelier explained on GoFundMe. They were unable to obtain any information on the driver.

Charlie underwent surgery. He's now back at the family's Leucadia home, where he will be on "bed rest" for 6-8 weeks. He is expected to fully recover.

"He is doing much better," Larah Bachelier said. "He's excited to be home. It will be a challenge to keep him from being too active at first, but we are happy to have Charlie back."

The Bachelier family has had Charlie, a mini cockapoo, for 6 months. The couple and their three children — ages 4, 6 and 9 years old — have developed a strong bond with the pup.

"He is literally a part of our pack," Bachelier said. "He thinks I'm his mom and the children are his siblings."

The cost of Charlie's surgery and emergency room care has ballooned to more than $15,000, placing a "significant financial burden" on the family. They set up the GoFundMe fundraiser to help cover the costs. The fundraiser had raised $5,625 as of Thursday morning.

"We are reaching out to our community, friends, and anyone who can lend a hand during this challenging time," Andrew Bachelier wrote on GoFundMe. "Your contributions, no matter how big or small, will make a world of difference to our family as we work to cover Charlie's medical expenses. While our three children are overjoyed to have Charlie back home resting, it's clear that his journey to recovery will be a lengthy one."