DETROIT – A tragedy involved an 8-year-old girl, who was walking on the sidewalk with her mother when a car hit and killed her.
Several people saw the accident in a neighborhood on Detroit’s east side.
“I came out of the house to a loud crash. I seen the young lady, panicking and terrified that something had happen,” said Dravonna Owens.
Owens is replaying the horrific details of a crash that killed 8-year-old Lauren Johnson Sunday afternoon at about 3:40 p.m. on Conner Street.
“She (the driver) was coming from the corner, she almost hit my niece at the corner, came flying. She hit the (Chevy) Malibu that was parked across the street, bounced off the Malibu, hit the curb and swiped the tree, and came through the lawn and she ended up right here,” Owens said.
That car hit Lauren and her mother. Owens said she ran to the 8-year-old to help.
“Her arms were messed up. She was bleeding really bad. She couldn’t breathe. I stood there until the ambulance came. I talked to her. I tried to calm her down,” she said.
Detroit police said the driver is 16 years old and was driving a 2007 silver Ford Focus. Police don’t know who is the owner of the vehicle but the driver claimed she could not stop and lost control.
“People fly up and down this street with no regards to life,” said Denice Hinson, who also witnessed the incident.
Hinson is begging for something to be done.
“Consequences needs to be some severe punishment, not a ticket. What is a ticket? It’s a piece of paper,” she said.
Owens said, “You took that baby’s life. An 8-year old. You took an 8-year-old life and nobody can bring that baby back. I feel bad for the mom. Very bad for the mom. I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.”
The family is now planning funeral arrangements for the 8-year-old. The mother is recovering.
Police said the driver could be facing charges.