15-year-old hit-and-run victim granted check donation from Arctic Circle

Keeton Dogget, 15, is the victim of the hit-and-run last month near the intersection of Hitt Road and 1st Street. Thursday, he was given a donation from Arctic Circle, where he worked before the accident.

Thursday, Aug. 24, Dogget left work from Arctic Circle on his bike. The crash happened just before 8:30 p.m., when a white pickup truck hit him and fled.

Hearing what happened to their employee, Arctic Circle decided to help under its foundation “Arctic Cares.”

“What we do is we look for communities or things where we can help. And when we saw this, it was immediate reaction, ‘We’ve got to try and help this young man,'” said Bob Simpson, a representative of Arctic Circle Restaurant Corp.

Arctic Circle visited Dogget in the hospital Thursday to give him a check donation.

“Keeton is a good worker here. He always had an uplifted, fulfilling presentation as far as coming here into the store. Always made people happy. It was good for us to be able to do something that would be beneficial for him and his family,” said Scott Birkinbine, the owner of Arctic Circle on Hitt Road.

Doggit is still recovering at Eastern Idaho Medical Center.

Bonneville County sheriffs deputies have identified one of three owners of the white pickups that were seen on surveillance video at the time of the crash.
The investigation is ongoing.

“It’s great to see that he’s in good spirits. Tragic situation but with an attitude like he’s got its seems he’s going to be doing well,” said Birkinbine.

Arctic Circle will hold a fundraiser for Doggit Thursday, September 14. The community can go to its location on Hitt Road in Idaho Falls. Half of the day’s proceeds will go to Doggit for medical expenses and for school.