A routine Friday afternoon in High Point turned tragic when a five-year-old boy was struck by a car and left in the roadway. The child was hit shortly before 5 p.m. near the intersection of E. Russell Avenue and Hines Street and later died at a hospital, according to police. Neighbors and investigators say the driver who hit him did not stop to help.
Police: Child Hit, Driver Fled
Detectives with the High Point Police Department’s Traffic Unit said they responded to a 911 call and found the child lying in the street. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died, according to a High Point Police Department news release. Investigators opened case report number 2026-15108 and classified the crash as a hit-and-run.
High Point Police Chief Curtis Cheeks III called the crash “a heartbreaking tragedy that has forever changed the lives of a family and impacted our community” and urged the driver to come forward as detectives work the case, as reported by The Charlotte Observer. He said investigators will pursue every lead and use every available resource to identify those responsible.
What Police Are Looking For
Investigators say they are searching for a gray Ford Focus or Ford Fiesta, possibly from model years 2012 to 2018, and believe the driver left the scene instead of rendering aid, as reported by WXII. Detectives are asking anyone with information to contact authorities so they can follow up on leads.
Potential Charges Under State Law
Under North Carolina law, a driver who knows or reasonably should know that a crash caused serious injury or death must stop and remain at the scene. A willful violation when death results can be prosecuted as a felony that carries possible prison time and a lengthy driver’s license revocation, according to N.C. General Statutes §20-166. Judges can impose aggravated sentencing ranges when a crash results in death.
How to Help
Anyone with information is asked to contact the High Point Police Department at 336-883-3224 or Crime Stoppers of High Point at 336-889-4000, or use the P3 Tips app for anonymous reporting. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for tips that lead to arrests, according to Crime Stoppers of High Point. Police say there is still an opportunity for the driver to come forward and take responsibility.
The crash has shaken the neighborhood and renewed calls for safer streets and accountability, and High Point’s Traffic Unit says it will continue to review surveillance footage and witness accounts as the investigation moves forward, according to The Charlotte Observer.
