Driver in Stolen Vehicle Strikes and Kills Child in Tragic Hit-and-Run Crash in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, NC- Wcnc.com writes that a driver traveling in a vehicle that was reported as stolen, hit a child on a bike in Charlotte late last week. The eleven-year-old boy was biking on Glenwood Drive when the nineteen-year-old suspect struck the child, causing him to impact the windshield of the car. The motorist then applied the brakes, and the boy fell into the roadway.*

The boy’s bike became stuck to the bottom of the stolen Honda Civic, and the driver fled the scene and entered Northbound Interstate 85 with the bike still dragging on the vehicle. Responders arrived on the scene to find the critically injured boy. The child was rushed to Atrium Health’s Carolina Medical Center but died from his injuries soon after the crash. 

A witness saw the driver fleeing the scene and identified the vehicle. Within hours of the tragic incident, the mother of the driver contacted police stating that her son wished to turn himself in for a hit-and-run pedestrian crash. 

Police found that the vehicle was stolen and contained drug paraphernalia. Officers charged the teenage driver with a felony hit-and-run. The suspect is also facing charges for possession of a stolen vehicle and possession of drug paraphernalia. Reports indicate that speed and alcohol are not considered factors in the crash. 

Police initially withheld the information regarding the victim’s identity, but the boy’s family confirmed his death. 

Drivers who commit hit-and-runs tend to have a motive to flee the scene. In many cases, the driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Other times, the driver has no valid license. Motorists who flee the scene of a fatal crash are committing a felony that is punishable with prison time. 

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Sources:https://www.wcnc.com/article/traffic/deadly-crash-shuts-down-road-in-northwest-charlotte/275-82ce9b80-cb63-4bde-ad24-d948be956262 and https://aaafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/18-0058_Hit-and-Run-Brief_FINALv2.pdf