A 9-year-old boy was hit by a car while walking in a Federal Way crosswalk near his school. Police say he was crossing the street in a crosswalk with his mother.
South King Fire and Rescue (SKFR) crews asked motorists to avoid the busy area near 342000 First Way South during the investigation.
The Federal Way School District tells KIRO 7 News that the child was hit at 8:23 a.m. His school, Panther Lake Elementary, starts classes at 8:50 a.m.
The crosswalk is not in a school zone. It does have flashing yellow lights, which police say were flashing at the time the child was hit. The crosswalk is about 50 yards north of a 20 mile-per-hour school zone, where there are with flashing lights and a speed camera. A 28-year-old woman hit the child just after passing the school zone; she was distraught and fully cooperated with traffic officials.
Fed Way SD @Southkingfire confirm child in crosswalk when hit by car. FD says avoid area. Child airlifted w/ serious injuries @KIRO7Seattle pic.twitter.com/RQelvcK1Ye
— Rachel Calderon (@rachelkiro7) September 22, 2016
KIRO 7 talked to parents who saw the little boy on the ground after he was hit.
"I can't imagine seeing that happen to my kid, " said Krystal Ward, who has three little boys. She had walked her oldest son to school and was headed home when she saw the accident scene. "I saw the kid laying on the floor and his mom screaming next to him."
Ward said her sons have almost been hit in the same crosswalk. "It is not safe. Cars speed by like crazy. The blinking lights are not enough to get people to stop. I have multiple times had to pull my kids back so a car doesn't hit them and have people flip me off after they almost hit my kids. It is ridiculous."
She plans to stop using the crosswalk; instead, she'll walk to a crosswalk where there is a stop light.
Tiffany Medina heard the mother screaming after the crash. "The lady was sitting in her car for a minute and didn't even get out until the mom was screaming on the ground for help. She got out of the car and started running towards them," said Medina, who also has a child at Panther Lake Elementary.
A fire department spokesperson says the boy has serious leg injuries and cuts on his face. He was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center (HMC). He is listed in satisfactory condition. His family is with him at the hospital.
Investigators say the driver is at fault for failing to yield to a pedestrian in crosswalk. She was written a $175 citation. They do not believe drugs or alcohol were involved. She will not face further charges, according to Federal Way Police.
A week ago, 11-year-old Illa Nichols was hit near a school in Auburn; investigators think that it was an accident because the angle of the sun likely made it hard for the driver to see her.
Nichols is back in critical condition at HMC.
Cox Media Group
