A six-year-old girl was hospitalized after being struck by a vehicle while crossing at Rainier Avenue South and South Charles Street, Seattle police have confirmed. The incident occurred around 11:50 a.m. yesterday, with the child and her mother in the crosswalk when a northbound SUV hit the girl, reportedly throwing her into the air and onto the pavement, as reported by MYNorthwest.
Initially, the girl's condition was deemed critical as she showed no signs of a pulse with CPR administered on the scene; later updates from Harborview Medical Center reassured that she had sustained no broken bones or significant injuries and was listed in satisfactory condition—an off-duty parking enforcement officer provided critical medical treatment before medics from the Seattle Fire Department arrived, according to KING5.
In a statement obtained by KOMO News, witness Oscar Perez remarked, "This corner here, we’ve seen too many problems before. People driving and not paying attention to what they do," reflecting local concerns over traffic safety. The area of the accident was reportedly beset by a construction project, with initial findings suggesting the driver might have been confused due to obscured traffic lanes.
The driver, who police have said cooperated and showed no signs of impairment, was not arrested; a Drug Recognition Expert evaluated the driver, and detectives from the Traffic Collision Investigation Squad (TCIS) were called to the scene, as noted by MYNorthwest. Seattle police are continuing the investigation into the collision and anyone with information is urged to reach out to the TCIS at (206) 684-8923.
