An ordinary Monday morning in Lindenhurst turned frightening when a grandmother was knocked to the ground and seriously hurt after her 8-year-old grandson climbed into her parked car, hit the start button, and sent the vehicle rolling down the driveway, police said. As the 2016 Honda began to move, the driver’s-side door swung into the woman, knocking her to the pavement where she hit her head. Neighbors described a chaotic, bloody scene and said the boy told them his grandmother had allowed him to press the start button.
What Police Say
Suffolk County Police said First Squad detectives responded to the crash around 10 a.m. Monday at a home on Wellwood Avenue. According to a press release from Suffolk County Police, the child climbed into his grandmother’s 2016 Honda and pushed the start button. The car rolled down the driveway with the driver’s door open, striking 63-year-old Gina Bente and knocking her to the ground, the release states. Bente was taken to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip in serious condition.
Neighbors' Reaction
Neighbors told ABC7 New York they saw blood on the ground after the impact and that the boy said his grandmother had permitted him to press the car's start button. "I just think it's tragic, you know? I'm very sad about it and it's like somebody's life changed in a day," neighbor Robin Lord told the station. Witnesses and police said the child was not injured.
Scene, Vehicle and Investigation
Police said the car kept rolling after hitting Bente, continued into the roadway, struck a curb and came to a stop in the middle of the street. Detectives have not indicated any criminal charges at this time. The Suffolk County Police press release lists the location as 678 Wellwood Ave. in Lindenhurst and asks anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS, according to Suffolk County Police. First Squad detectives are investigating the incident.
Simple Steps to Reduce the Risk
Public-health agencies and auto manufacturers point to some straightforward precautions that can help prevent similar accidents: keep keys and key fobs out of children's reach and never leave young children unsupervised near parked vehicles. The CDC's child-passenger safety guidance stresses close supervision around cars and taking basic prevention measures, as outlined by the CDC. Automaker owner manuals also warn drivers to "keep key fobs away from children," a point underscored in materials from Jeep.
