CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A 9-year-old girl remains in critical condition Friday after being hit by a pickup truck while on a motor scooter Thursday evening.
The Chesterfield County Police Department (CCPD) is investigating the incident, which happened near the intersection of Bach and Vincent Lanes around 6 p.m.
“I was in my office working and I heard this loud thud noise,” neighbor Ted Stewart said. “I didn’t pay a lot of attention to it. Then, I guess, it was, maybe, five minutes later, I heard sirens.”
Stewart, who said he has lived in the area for 18 years, was concerned about what might have happened, so he went outside to look.
“At that point, I saw the firetrucks, and they were parked in front of my house,” he said. “The first thing I saw was the scooter on the ground, and then, I knew it belong to my neighbor’s child, and I saw her lying on the ground, injured, and it just was tough to watch it.”
Stewart told 8News that he has watched the little girl grow up, and noted that she and her older brother were particularly well-mannered children.
“I’ve known those kids since they were little bittie tikes, and just the best kids,” he said.
Stewart described first responders working to stabilize the little girl who had been hit, while her brother looked on in distress.
“His helmet was cracked, and there was blood on the back end of it. So I’m not sure how that got there. I don’t know whether he tried to help his sister while she had gotten hurt, or whatever,” he said. “He was very distraught, which was understandable, the whole family — mother, dad — and everybody was just very concerned the whole time.”
CCPD confirmed that the 9-year-old has injuries to her head, torso and vitals.
“You feel so helpless when something like that happens,” Stewart said. “It’s just gut-wrenching, awful. No parent should have to go through that.”
Although police have not said whether speed was a factor in Thursday evening’s crash, Stewart noted that vehicles can often be seen passing through the area too quickly as drivers turn off of Coalfield Road.
“They really need to put some speed bumps out there, especially at this intersection, because there’s a lot of activity, lot of kids playing, and I think it’s time they do it,” he said. “Maybe, after this has happened, maybe they will do something to increase the safety of the kids out there.”
