A 17-year-old driver is being held on a $2.5 million bond in Charlotte, North Carolina, after police charged him with felony hit-and-run in a crash that killed a six-year-old girl on Friday afternoon, according to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police and Mecklenburg County court records reported by Queen City News and the Charlotte Focal.
Source: Queen City News
Police said the girl was crossing Barrington Drive at Lanecrest Drive in east Charlotte at about 3:21 p.m. on Friday, October 23, when a vehicle struck her and drove away north on Barrington Drive. Her family said she had just gotten off her school bus. She was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and died on Saturday. She was a first-grade student at Devonshire Elementary School; Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools called her death a "heartbreaking loss," said it is supporting students, families and staff, and asked that the family's privacy be respected. In line with Awaaz Punjab's minor-safety rule, the child's name is not being published.
Investigators asked the public for help finding a gray 2012-to-2015 Mercedes-Benz C250 with a sunroof and heavy damage to its front grille. On Monday, officers stopped a 2013 Mercedes-Benz, identified the 17-year-old as the suspect and seized the vehicle as evidence. He was charged with felony hit-and-run resulting in death and was initially held without bond. Court documents say he did not have a valid driver's license. The teenager is not being named because he is a minor.
What the court heard on Tuesday
At a court appearance on Tuesday, a Mecklenburg County judge set the bond at $2.5 million, ordered a mental health evaluation and appointed a public defender, court records show. An affidavit cited in the reporting says the teenager admitted striking the child and told investigators he drove away because he was scared, and that he did not stop or call 911; other documents say he has cooperated with the investigation. The allegations have not been proven in court, and the police investigation is continuing.
Source: Charlotte Focal
Neighbours have left flowers and balloons near the crash site, and the school district has offered condolences to the girl's family, friends and classmates. Police have asked anyone with information about the crash to call 911 or Crime Stoppers.