SANDPOINT — The son of a retired law officer was struck and nearly killed Monday while assisting at the scene of a collision involving an elk on U.S. Highway 95.

The retired officer said his 21-year-old son had stepped around his vehicle to dispatch the elk when he was struck by a southbound motorist. The man's father said four vehicles were pulled to the side of the road with their hazard signals illuminated.

"I see it all the time," said the retired officer, who declined to be named. "This was a completely avoidable accident."

The crash happened in the four-lane stretch of highway north of Ponderay at approximately 6:30 p.m. The speed limit on that portion of the highway is 60 mph.

The motorist, whose name was not immediately available on Tuesday, got out of his vehicle to inspect for damage, but departed from the scene.

"He basically fled the scene," the man's father said.

The man reportedly told a Bonner County Sheriff's deputy he returned to the scene after discovering damage to his vehicle at a local gas station, but surveillance video did not support the assertion, the man's father said.

The Good Samaritan's father said trouble on the highway should have been evident, but the motorist did not break his stride while passing through the area.

"If you see something, slow your speed down," the retired officer said.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached at kkinnaird@bonnerccountydailybee.com or followed on Twitter at Daily Bee Keith.