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Peoria student badly injured after being hit by car while walking to school
A student was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, after they were hit by an SUV during the morning hours of Mar. 9. The student was crossing the street right by their elementary school when the incident happened. FOX 10's Lindsey Ragas reports.
PEORIA, Ariz. - An elementary student has been taken to a hospital after being hit by a car while walking to school on March 9 in Peoria near 98th Avenue and Deer Valley Road.
According to the Peoria Unified School District, the student, who attends Sunset Heights Elementary School, was walking to nearby Liberty High School for a first-hour class when they were hit by a car in the crosswalk.
The student is in serious condition. A shoe and backpack could be seen lying on the road before police cleared the area.
Impairment does not appear to be a factor in the crash, Peoria Police said. The driver has not been cited, as an investigation remains ongoing.
The district says crisis support teams are available at both schools to assist any students who need support.
"The safety of our students and staff is always our top priority," the district said in an email. "Please use extra caution when driving in and around school areas during drop off and dismissal times. Also, this is an opportune time to remind your child to be vigilant and aware in high traffic areas when walking to and from school."
Roads in the area were closed due to the investigation, but have since reopened.
Map of the area:
Area resident talks about intersection's potential dangers
Neighbors say there needs to be a crossing guard at this intersection when students are walking to and from school.
"Just pay attention, because there was a school zone over there, but it's just really beside the middle school, just in the immediate area," said Jake Machado, whose brother attends Liberty High. "But there's no real protection for the kids walking from home to the school."
"My kids always ask about walking to school, and I just can't imagine them doing that. Crossing over Deer Valley, it's just scary.," said Jennifer Wilson. "I think on Deer Valley, there definitely should be, with the amount of kids that live in thIs neighborhoods over here, to be able to at least cross the busy street."