Kent teen hit by car near school, parents call for change
KENT, Wash. - A 17-year-old girl in Kent was struck by a car while crossing the street, and was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center Thursday morning.
The incident has reignited concerns from parents about inadequate sidewalks and safety measures around schools.
Kent Police report the teenager was hit around 8 a.m. Thursday morning, not far from Meridian Middle School. Firefighters and medics treated her at the scene. Now at Harborview, the girl remains in critical condition.
In wake of the chaos, neighbor Michelle Garvey shared her concerns with FOX 13 News.
"Drivers are not safe around here. There’s a lack of sidewalks going to the school just down the road," explained Garvey. "Bus drivers are dropping kids off and there’s no sidewalks so they’re walking on a very very small shoulder."
She’s not alone in this worry. Online, Kent parents wrote: "We’ve been asking the city for sidewalks on 132nd for months, since two kids were killed there within six months… and now this morning’s news."
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Docs: Kent 12-year-old killed while riding scooter, 19-year-old driver had BAC of .150
Last year, FOX 13 News reported on both of those incidents. A drunk driver going 60 in a 35 mph zone struck and killed 12-year-old Gabriel Coury, a student at nearby Sunrise Elementary.