RICHMOND, Va. -- A 25-year-old woman was arrested after she hit a little girl with her car, according to Richmond Police. Tammy L. Burke, of North Avenue, was charged with felony hit and run and operating a motor vehicle without a license. Police were called to the 1100 block of Dove Street at about 7:36 p.m. to investigate the hit and run.
"Officers arrived and found a female child under 10 who was suffering an injury to her leg. She was transported to a local hospital with an injury which was not considered life threatening at the time," Richmond Police spokesman James Mercante said. "Witnesses reported a vehicle, a Honda sedan, had left the scene. A few minutes later the driver called 911 and gave her location. Officers arrived at the location of the call and arrested the driver."
Neighbors described the child struck by the car as a five-year-old girl.
"How could you be so evil and wicked. Hit this little girl and drive off," one neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said. "It could’ve been your child."
Michael Latta was one of the first witnesses to run to the little girl’s side.
"She was awake. Her legs were hurting and she couldn’t move one of them," he said.
Latta said the girl was tossed into the air about nine feet before landing. He said it did not appear the driver who hit the child was speeding.
"She was going like 15 miles per hour, but she wasn’t paying attention, looking the other way and hit the kid," he said.