PUYALLUP, Wash. — A student athlete at Puyallup High School was taken to the hospital with serious injuries after they were hit by a truck during a cross-country team run.
According to Puyallup police, just before 4 p.m., a group from the high school’s cross country team was running on 2nd Ave NE.
As one of the runners entered the intersection of 7th St. NE and 2nd Ave NE, they were hit by a truck.
“I was almost to the stop sign and he had already stepped into the street. It looked like he put his hand up to the truck,” said Jessica Orth, who witnessed the crash.
But the truck didn’t stop.
“And he fell and slide a little bit on the gravel,” Orth recalled. “His eyes were in the back of his head and he was not conscious or speaking at that time.”
The cross-country runner was attended to immediately by a coach, and first responders were called.
Police say the driver was not impaired at the time of the crash.
The 27-year-old driver is cooperating with police but was arrested on an unrelated misdemeanor charge.
The investigation is ongoing.
In a statement, the district said:
“We remain deeply concerned about the incident involving a Puyallup High School cross-country runner who was seriously injured after being hit by a car during a team practice run. Our thoughts are with the injured student and their family during this challenging time. In response to the incident, the team’s practice has been canceled for today and instead will meet to support each other during this time. Additionally, our counseling staff is actively checking in with witnesses and offering support to those in need. The team will not be participating in the upcoming competition in Olympia as we prioritize the well-being of our students.”
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