A 9-year-old child was injured this morning after being struck by a pickup truck in a Southbridge parking lot, as reported by the Southbridge Police Department via their social media. The child was en route to school when the incident occurred near Plaza Liquor at 200 Mechanic Street.
According to the Southbridge Police Department's Facebook post, the child was tying their shoes in the parking lot when a 37-year-old man driving a Toyota Tacoma did not see the bent-over child. The vehicle, traveling at a slow speed, hit the child with its front bumper, causing the child to fall, and then with the front passenger side tire, resulting in severe leg and hip injuries.
The injured child was swiftly transported to UMass Medical Center - University Campus in Worcester. Despite the severity of the injuries, they are not considered life-threatening. Investigations are currently underway by the Southbridge Police Department's traffic officer, with support from the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (CEMLEC) Collision Reconstruction Team. At this stage, further details are being withheld, but the police have affirmed that their investigation is active and ongoing to ascertain the cause and any potential culpability connected with the incident.
