Backing Up Incident



wpe1.jpg (26369 bytes) CALL 3: Most Back-Over Accidents Involve Children 


Look before you back

By AISLING SWIFT, Staff Writer

Nineteen-month-old Joshua Bass ran outside, following his cousin to the church van, spotted the headlights that so entranced him and ran to touch them. No one, not even his 15-year-old cousin, knew he was in the Oxford Manor apartments parking lot in Durham at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 19. Within moments, the 15-seat Dodge van with six passengers pulled out and turned left, knocking Joshua down. His chest was crushed, and his neck and skull fractured. He died a day later.




April 30, 2003

Little’s Grandson Struck and Killed By Car in Accident

BY MATTHEW MORIARTY: Staff Writer

The 2-year-old grandson of recently announced gubernatorial candidate George Little died Monday morning after being struck by a car driven by his babysitter.

The initial investigation led Highway Patrol troopers to believe the death was accidental. The boy, George B. Little, was the son of Wes and Teresa Little of Southern Pines.

The accident occurred about 8:30 a.m. The boy was at his babysitter’s house on Union Church Road about two miles west of Vass.

The babysitter, Lawana Jones, 51, was backing up the car to get ready to leave the house with the child, according to Trooper W.R. Ellington, the investigating officer. The boy was inside the house with Jones’ two grown daughters.

At some point, when she was backing the car, Ellington said, the child left the house and walked into the path of the vehicle, which struck him.

Rescue workers were called to the scene, and they transported the young boy to First Health Moore Regional Hospital, from which he was to be airlifted to a hospital in Charlotte. He died before he could be airlifted.

The investigation into the incident continues.

The family scheduled the funeral service for 11 a.m. today at Brown-son Memorial Presbyterian Church, with burial in Bethesda Cemetery.

The boy is survived by his parents; his sister, Tori E. Little; and his paternal grandparents, George and Teena Little; and his maternal great-grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Scott of Mount Airy.

The family asked that memorials go to the UNC Children’s Hospital, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27516, the Southern Pines Volunteer Fire and Rescue, P.O. Box 2466, Southern Pines, N.C. 28388, or to the Sandhills Children’s Center, 1280 Central Drive, Southern Pines, N.C. 28387.

The boy’s father is an enforcement officer with the state Division of Motor Vehicles and a volunteer firefighter with the Southern Pines Fire Department.

The Little family is well known throughout Moore County. News of the boy’s death spread quickly and has caused grief and shock throughout the law-enforcement community and among legislators in Raleigh.

John Dempsey, president of Sandhills Community College, of which George Little is the chairman of the board, said the college will be doing something to reach out to the Little family in its time of need. But, he said, it is too soon for anything to be organized.

“We’re still in a state of shock,” he said.

Dempsey said he is close to the entire Little family.

“I know the whole family very well. I know them and love them,” he said. “It’s just one of those things you almost can’t talk about. It’s incomprehensible. … Certainly we’ll do something.”

Chief Rick Baker of the Southern Pines Fire Department said Wes Little has been a driver for the Fire Department for 17 years. Baker and a few other firefighters were at the hospital when the Littles arrived. Baker pledged to help the Little family with anything they might need.

“He’s part of our membership, so our support system is always there,” Baker said.

“Sympathy going out to the whole family,” Moore County Sheriff Lane Carter said. “People just don’t imagine having to go through that. It’s a tough, tough thing. ... If they need us, we’re here for them.”

George Little thanked everyone who has given support.

“Wes and Teresa appreciate the support,” he said. “I appreciate the outpouring, not only here, but throughout the state.”

Little called the support the family received “tremendous” and said it has been a great help in this emotional time.

“He was a great little boy,” he said. “It’s just a tragic accident.”





January 27, 2003

SUV backs into, kills Allen County boy, 4

LIMA, Ohio — A 4-year-old local boy was killed Saturday after he ran behind a sport-utility vehicle backing out in a convenience store parking lot, Allen County sheriff’s deputies said.

Austin Haver was pronounced dead at Lima Memorial Hospital, where he was taken after the 3:30 p.m. accident at the Speedway store, 1875 Harding Hwy.

Allen County sheriff’s deputies said the boy got away from a family member he was with and ran behind the vehicle driven by Kevin Brinkley-Atkins, 21, of Springfield. Mr. Brinkley-Atkins did not see the youth and won’t be charged, authorities said.

 


September 21, 2002 

Two-Year-Old Killed in Driveway Accident
Reporter Nancy Hauskins.

It's a tragedy no family can imagine, a father leaving home to run errands accidentally backs over his young daughter.

The little girl was taken to Summit Medical Center where she later died. At approximately quarter to one on Saturday, a two-year-old girl playing in the front yard of her Antioch home dashed into the driveway to see her dad, while her mother was standing near-by.

In the words of police sergeant Jeralyn Keeter, "apparently the father was backing up to leave and the little child was in the front of the house and started running down the drive-way towards the back and the father accidentally hit his daughter."

The drive-way curves and slopes toward the back of the home, the young toddler could not be seen as she ran past three-foot bushes into the path of the SUV. "Nobody could've done anything differently in this situation. As you know she was two years-old and they're below almost the level of the bumper" said Keeter.

The little girl was crushed under the weight of a rear wheel. She died from massive head trauma. Neighbors say she was the young couple's only child.

According to a pastor at the couple's church the two year old was a vibrant, beautiful little girl.

Police say no charges are expected to be filed, only that it was a terrible accident.


November 12, 2002

Two-Year-Old Killed By Pickup Driven By Mother

Lawton (AP) - A two-year-old Lawton child was killed Monday after being hit by a pickup driven by his mother.

Police say Jacob Hodges was pronounced dead at a Lawton hospital.

Police say the mother left Jacob near the front door and went to move the pickup out of the driveway so he could ride his tricycle. But police say Jacob left the front door and made his way behind the truck as his mother was backing it out.

Authorities say the incident is being treated as an accident.


Madera Tribune.com
November 21, 2002

Child rushed to hospital after driveway accident

Thursday, November 21, 2002

By Glenna Jarvis

While vehicles collided in the foggy Central Valley Wednesday, a toddler was injured in a vehicle accident in North Fork when he darted out behind a moving vehicle.

According to the California Highway Patrol, the 2-year-old was struck by a vehicle while the driver was backing out of a driveway.

Barbara Works, 52, was backing her 1994 Mitsubishi onto the roadway at about 5:15 p.m. when the boy ran into the path of her vehicle, according to the report. 

"Due to his size ... [Works] was unable to see [the boy] as he ran behind her," the report, issued by CHP officer R. Nazario, said. "[She] struck him and dragged him under the vehicle." 

The child sustained severe injuries and was transported to Children's Hospital Central California by Sierra Ambulance for treatment. 

No arrests were made.


The Arizona Republic
September 27, 2001

DAD ACCIDENTALLY DRIVES OVER TODDLER

PHOENIX - A 1-year-old boy died Wednesday after his father ran over him with a tow truck about 8:30 a.m. outside their home, authorities said.

Fabian Herrera was pronounced dead at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center after the accident in the 1600 block of South 28th Avenue.

Police believe the boy's father, Jorge Herrera, was leaving for work and
apparently did not realize the child had followed him outside.


Los Angeles Times
September 4, 2001

TODDLER KILLED AS MOTHER BACKS CAR IN DRIVEWAY

An El Monte woman backing a car down the driveway of her home Monday struck and killed her 21-month-old daughter, police said.

Doris Hernandez, 29, was driving just before 10 a.m. when she hit her daughter, Marily, in the 2600 block of Tyler Avenue, said Lt. Craig Sperry of the El Monte Police Department.

The girl was rushed to an El Monte hospital but was pronounced dead, Sperry said.


The Indy Channel.com
August 13, 2001

INDIANAPOLIS-- A 7-month-old boy died after his father accidentally ran over him with a pickup truck, police said.

Police said that father, Mike Duncan, ran over his son Lucas on Sunday afternoon at the southeast-side Indianapolis home of family friends.

Duncan and his friends were playing horseshoes in the back yard when he decided to move his truck closer to hear the radio better, police said.

"The father had gotten into his truck and did not see the baby, and ran over the baby," Sgt. Reginald Roney of the Marion County Sheriff's Department said.

Police said that Duncan's wife put Lucas on a beach towel in the yard before she took their other child inside to use a bathroom.

Duncan told police that he did not see Lucas in the yard.
Police said Duncan submitted to a blood test. Authorities are waiting on the results before determining whether alcohol was a factor.

The sheriff's department said that it would turn over its findings to the prosecutor's office, which will determine whether charges will be filed.


The Denver Channel.Com
July 26, 2001

MOTHER RUNS OVER TODDLER IN DRIVEWAY

A Conifer mother accidentally ran over and killed her one-year-old daughter in the driveway of the family's Jefferson County home Wednesday afternoon, according to investigators.

One-year-old Shannon Wichael died at the scene.

The mother, Sharon Wichael, 39, had placed four of her children, ages 4 to 11, inside the family's 1999 Chevy Suburban in the dirt driveway of their mountain home in the 28000 block of Tallpines Lane about 1:25 p.m., authorities said.

The mother also placed Shannon's child safety seat in the back seat, Jefferson County sheriff's detective Jacki Tallman said.

"The mother loaded her kids in the car, she put it in reverse, and started to back out, and heard a noise outside the vehicle," Tallman said. "It was something that caught her attention immediately, and she realized the toddler was not in the vehicle."

Colorado State Patrol spokesman Rod Campbell said that investigators were uncertain whether the child was standing or lying behind the vehicle when she was hit.

"All of that is under investigation." Campbell said.

Investigators said that alcohol didn't appear to play a role in the accident, and friends and family members gathered Wednesday night outside Wichael's home.


The Palm Beach Post
June 12, 2001

A 22-month-old boy remained in serious condition Monday at Delray Medical Center after his father backed a car into him at 9 p.m. Sunday at the Rainbow Mobile Home Park, according to a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office report. Ernesto Rispaldo, 24, was leaving his driveway at 2627 No. 17S S.
Military Trail in suburban West Palm Beach when his 1988 Granada struck his son, Migueal Powell. His mother drove the boy to JFK Medical Center, and a helicopter flew him to Delray Medical Center. Deputies don't know how the child got out of the home. They are still investigating.


Back to previous page