Advertisement

Kianna Moreau, B.C. girl hit by driver with learner's permit, dies of injuries

Shots fired in Richmond, RCMP investigating

A six-year-old girl has died of her injuries, after being one of four pedestrians hit Sunday by an inexperienced driver behind the wheel of an SUV in Port Coquitlam, B.C., police say.

"Sadly one of the pedestrians, the six-year-old girl, passed away," Cpl. Jamie Chung of Coquitlam RCMP said Monday.

The girl has been identified as Kianna Moreau, according to her friends and an online memorial fund. A candlelight vigil will be held for her on Friday at Rocky Point Park in Port Moody at 8:30 p.m. PT.

The driver, a woman in her 40s who was just learning to drive, lost control of a Honda CRV while trying to turn right on Shaughnessy Street from Lions Way in Port Coquitlam at about 4 p.m. PT, according to police.

She drove up on the sidewalk and struck four pedestrians who were walking in the parking lot of a busy strip mall, said Chung.

The girl's mother was also hit, and is still in hospital in serious condition, as is another victim. The fourth person struck was released from hospital with minor injuries, according to Coquitlam RCMP.

The local MP, Industry Minister James Moore, tweeted his condolences over the girl's death.

Driver had a learner's permit

The driver had a learner's permit, which is the first step in the graduated licensing program in B.C., and requires a knowledge test and vision screening but not practical experience to obtain.

The driver was following all conditions of her permit, including having a qualified supervisor in the passenger seat with her at the time, and displaying a red "L" on the back of her vehicle, said police.

Police are not speculating what caused the incident on a sunny Sunday afternoon, and will investigate possible mechanical failure.

"We're asking for more witnesses to come forward ... to find out exactly what happened and how the vehicle lost control," said Chung.

The driver was not injured, and is co-operating with the investigation, said Chung.

"Understandably she is in shock because of what happened."