11-year-old girl struck by ambulance in Miami; NW 12th Ave. closed between 4th and 7th St. – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
Rescue crews have taken an 11-year-old girl to the hospital after she was struck by an ambulance in Miami, police said.
7Skyforce hovered above the scene of the crash near Northwest Sixth Street and 12th Avenue, near SLAM Miami Charter School, at around 9:45 a.m., Friday.
According to City of Miami Police, the victim darted into traffic while trying to get to school when she and was hit by the vehicle.
“Roughly around 7:59 a.m., we received a call for a pedestrian struck here on 12th Avenue and Northwest Sixth Street,” said City of Miami Fire Rescue Lt. Pete Sanchez. “What happened was that one of our fire rescue units was transporting a patient to the hospital. They were heading northbound here on 12th Avenue, going against traffic because there was standstill traffic at this time, which is something normal that we do, and an 11-year-old came in between traffic.”
Sanchez said the victim did not use a crosswalk.
“[The driver of the ambulance] tried to avoid her and maneuvered off to the side, as you can see, and they ended up hitting her, pushing her forward, which I believe that because of that evasive maneuver, they did not run her over,” he said.
Investigators said the child was alert and oriented during transport to Ryder Trauma Center. She is listed in serious but stable condition.
“The driver of this rescue [vehicle] is extremely shaken up. This is not something that we plan on. We want to help people, not hurt people,” said Sanchez. “We really hope that she’s going to be OK, and this is just an unfortunate situation.”
Back at the scene, officers have shut down Northwest 12th Avenue between Fourth and Seventh streets. They urge drivers to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.
A spokesperson for SLAM Miami Charter School confirmed the victim is a student at their school. They issued the following statement:
“Earlier this morning, a SLAM Miami student was involved in an accident while crossing the street near the school. The student was struck by a City of Miami ambulance. Emergency medical personnel responded immediately, and the student was transported to the hospital to receive medical care.
Our thoughts are with the student and their family during this difficult time. The school is in contact with the family and offering support. At this point, we are focused on the student’s well-being and are unable to share additional details.”
Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.
