6-year-old girl fatally struck by car while crossing street in California, sister injured
A 6-year-old died, and her older sister was left injured after they were struck by a car while crossing the street in California.
The collision happened on Tuesday around 8:00 p.m. at an intersection in Pomona, a city about 30 miles from Los Angeles.
According to the Pomona Police Department, officers responded to the scene and found two victims − described as a female adult and a female child − lying "in the roadway." Despite life-saving efforts, the child died from her injuries. The adult who survived was taken to the hospital for treatment.
"The driver of the involved vehicle remained on scene and is cooperating with the investigation," Pomona Police said.
The person behind the wheel was a 19-year-old driving a silver Honda Accord, according to KTLA. The driver was captured on video viewed by the outlet taking a sobriety test on the scene, and police don't think that drugs or alcohol contributed to the incident. However, according to the local outlet, police are investigating whether the driver was distracted or speeding before the collision.
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'It shook me to my core'
Police did not release the identities of the victims, but KTLA reported that they were sisters, elementary school student Guadalupe Alvarez Salgado, 6, and 19-year-old Mireya, who was in the ICU unit due to her injuries following the crash.
“It shook me to my core,” Mathew Leal, who lived in the same area as the victims, told KTLA. “Even though I didn’t really talk to her, I kind of watched her grow up. I was here since she was born. I’m so sorry for their loss. We’re always going to be there for them.”
Community pushes for change at intersection where accident happened
The incident has impacted the community, and residents are raising the alarm about the dangerous intersection: "A lot of people do speed here,” Leal added.
The family created a GoFundMe and has raised just over $1,267 of a $15,000 goal.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 6-year-old hit, killed by car in Pomona, California, 19-year-old hurt
