Greenwood, Indiana – Local authorities are asking for public’s help in locating the driver involved in the hit-and-run incident that took place almost a week earlier in Greenwood when he hit 14-year-old Greenwood High School student while he was crossing the street to board the school bus.
“Just turn yourself in. I can’t imagine what the parents are going through right now. I have a 13-year-old little boy; I would be devastated. Just turn yourself in,” said Megan Bravard, who works down the street from where the crash happened.
According to the incident report, the hit-and-run took place on December 2 in the early morning hours around 7 a.m. near East Main and Meridian Streets.
The victim in the incident is a 14-year-old boy who was struck by what appears to be black 4-door sedan as he was crossing the street to board the bus. Right after the incident, the driver fled the scene leaving the boy injured at the scene.
Police say the bus was stopped in the westbound lane with its cross arm out and flashing lights activated.
Luckily, the student suffered minor injuries. He was immediately taken to hospital for additional treatment and is expected to fully recover soon.
“Turn yourself in. Just say ‘Hey I messed up,’ face your consequences,” said Robert Webb, who owns a tattoo shop on Main Street in Greenwood.
Both Webb and Bravard said they can’t understand how someone could hit a child, and drive off.
“Slow down and make sure you are looking both ways before you are going anywhere near where there are bus stops,” said Bravard.
According to Bravard, drivers drive recklessly on Main Street in Greenwood on a daily basis. However, there is rising trend in such incidents across the state in the last couple of years despite authorities’ efforts to slow down or completely eliminate this trend.
“People drive up and down this road like crazy people all the time,” he said.
The local police department said they still don’t have suspect, but already obtained a surveillance footage showing a vehicle which they believe it was the vehicle involved in the incident. However, they won’t publicly reveal the footage until they are not sure that the vehicle is really involved in the incident.
“You don’t want to get a false thing out there, and people looking for the wrong thing,” said Deputy Chief Jason Holtzleiter with the Greenwood Police Department.
According to the bus driver, the driver who struck the boy was driving at high rate of speed when the incident occurred. He also confirmed that the stop arm of the bus was extended with its lights flashing when the boy and another student crossed traffic to board the bus.
The first boy already crossed the street, while the 14-year-old victim was behind him. That’s the moment when he was struck by the vehicle that was allegedly speeding.
“Come forward, clear it up. Let’s get this solved and let’s help the kid get better,” said Deputy Chief Holtzleiter.
The boy remembers the incident itself. However, he doesn’t remember what happened afterward. The next thing he saw, was him with people around him.
Police continue to review surveillance footage and say they are looking for a dark midsize 4-door sedan with front end damage.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call the Greenwood Police Department at 317-882-9191. People can also anonymously make a report on the department’s website.
