A child riding a motorized scooter and wearing a helmet, as reported by WNKY News 40, was struck by a Toyota Camry in Bowling Green, Kentucky, then taken first to a local hospital before being transferred to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville for continued treatment. Police say the driver stopped briefly to check on the unconscious child before fleeing the scene, and he was later arrested and booked on multiple charges, including driving under the influence.
According to WNKY, the child was riding the scooter and had stopped when the driver of the Camry struck him. The outlet reports that the driver, identified as 21-year-old Bowling Green resident Tyohn Powell, checked on the child, who was unconscious, but then fled the scene rather than waiting for officers or rendering aid, per the police report. The child was initially taken to the Medical Center of Bowling Green before being transferred to Vanderbilt, as first detailed by WSMV in its report on the crash published Monday.
Driver Allegedly Found Smelling of Alcohol
Officers eventually located Powell, who they say smelled of alcohol and blew a .121 on a breathalyzer, the same report notes. Kentucky law sets legal impairment at a blood alcohol level of .08 or above, as reported by Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Office of Highway Safety, meaning the alleged reading was well above that threshold. The Med Center also obtained a blood sample from Powell as evidence, and the Toyota Camry involved in the crash has been secured as evidence as well, per the same account.
Powell was reportedly driving with an expired license at the time of the crash, according to the police report described in the outlet's coverage. He now faces charges of second-degree assault, leaving the scene of an accident with failure to render aid for serious physical injury, operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, and operating a vehicle with a suspended license. Powell is lodged in the Warren County Regional Jail, the report states.
What Remains Unknown
Details such as the child's age, current medical condition, and the exact time and location of the crash have not been made public in available reporting. No court dates, attorney information, or case disposition have been released either. Hoodline will continue following this story as more information becomes available from Bowling Green authorities.
