Police in Lancaster County are looking for the driver and the car who hit a 12-year-old girl on her way to her bus stop Thursday morning.
It happened just before 7 a.m., right in front of a group of children who were waiting at their bus stop at the intersection of Graystone Road and Hollow Drive in East Petersburg borough.
“I was just waiting and then, my friend, his sister, she’s like walking across the street and all, there’s this car,” said Dylan Morris, 13. “It like swerves over and hits her,and my friend, he speeds off. He’s sprinting and the car is speeding off.”
Children and parents rushed to the side of the victim, who they identify as a 12-year-old student at Centerville Middle School.
Manheim Township police said she was taken to a local hospital for treatment, but are not releasing her condition.
“Just to see that this even happened to a middle school kid, you know, that’s even scarier,” said Darren Thompson, a father of three. “It’s scary, because they’re as tall as we are.”
There are crosswalks at the intersection, but some parents feel it’s just not enough. They’ve suggested moving the bus stop to the other side of the street, so students won’t have to cross Graystone Road.
“They do fly up and down this road,” Thompson said. “Maybe they should look into having something different, a different set-up.”
Students who were at the bus stop did go to school, but were allowed to be picked up by their parents after speaking with counselors.
“I just chose to come home because it was hard for me to concentrate, wondering if she’s ok or not,” said Deion Thompson, 14. “And her brother, he’s a good friend of mine, so I wondered how he was feeling.”
Police are looking for a dark-colored, crossover type vehicle, with damage to its right, front side. Investigators do believe it belongs to someone local.
Anyone with information that could help investigators is asked to contact Manheim Township Police at 717-569-6401. Those who want to remain anonymous should call the Manheim Township Police Crime Tipline at 717-569-2816.