Firefighters work to help girl injured in rock throwing accident

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - A 9-year-old girl was badly hurt after a suspect threw a large rock at her family's car. It crashed thru the windshield and struck the girl in the face. Now a group of firefighters are helping out the family that has been overwhelmed by the medical bills.

Fire crews treated the girl who was struck in the face by the rock back in November.

"She had turned out to be one of the victims of the I-10 copy cat shooter, a rock was thrown from an overpass and struck her in the face," said Jacob Hale.

The suspect Michael Kerrick was accused of throwing rocks at cars near I-10 and 15th Avenue. DPS troopers say he damaged at least 12 vehicles with rocks, injuring the 9-year-old.

"She had, at least, a fractured nose, and the orbital sockets, so she's required a number of surgeries both orthodontic and rhino-plastic," said Hale.

Re-constructive surgery and rehab are just some of the treatments she's had to undergo at the hospital.

"We were able to cook a meal for them, and bring it over on Thanksgiving day, and drop it off. A lot of stations tend to do something similar to this, and adopt a family one way or another," said Hale.

After adopting the family during the holidays, the crews realized they need more help. Medical treatments are draining the family's bank account, so firefighters at Station #13 set up a GoFundMe.com account for the single mom with five kids.

Now the firefighters hope others will help the financially strapped family.

"Now it's kinda of snowballed into something bigger, so it's exciting," said Billy Miller.

Station #13 firefighters have printed up t-shirts to sell, to add cash to the family. The girl is now out of the hospital and is back home with her family.

"It's nice to do something above and beyond what the job is," said Miller.

If you would like to donate visit: https://www.gofundme.com/j2gku6bg