Westlake HS student faces long road to recovery after getting run over oustide school

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Blase Anderson was one of four Westlake High School students hit by a car outside the school on April 18, 2023. (Photo via GoFundMe)

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. - A 15-year-old Westlake High School student is facing a long road to recovery after he and several of his classmates were struck by a car while the children were outside the school last week.

Blase Anderson was one of four students stuck by a vehicle near a bus stop outside Westlake High School in Thousand Oaks on Tuesday, April 18. One of Anderson's classmates, 15-year-old Wesley Welling, did not survive. The other two students hit in the crash a 14-year-old girl, and a 16-year-old girl – were taken to the hospital. 

Anderson's injuries were severe, according to his family, and will require surgery. Anderson "will be unable to bear weight on his leg for [approximately nine] months," his family wrote in a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to help with medical costs. 

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According to Anderson's aunt, who organized the fundraiser, the crash comes at particularly inconvenient timing for the family. Anderson's mother recently returned to work after a surgery of her own, and is "unfortunately not in a financial place to take more time off from work and lose health benefits," Kourtnee McTeer wrote.

According to McTeer, Anderson is "a bright, witty individual that loves golfing, fishing, snowboarding and many other activities."

So far the campaign to help Anderson has raised more than $1,500.

The suspected driver in that crash, 24-year-old Austin Eis, is a former Westlake High School Student, may have intentionally run the students over. Officials also said that before the deadly crash, Eis was wanted in connection with the stabbing of a Walmart employee on West Cochran Street in Simi Valley. Eis faces several felony charges and has been denied bail.

More information about the GoFundMe campaign can be found by clicking here.