CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — A sunny afternoon met Shannon White for his afternoon walk down Walmsley Boulevard in Chesterfield County on Monday, but the destination was even sunnier.
“Probably wind up and around and check on my grandbabies. They live further around [the corner],” he said. “One of them is four and one of them is eight.”
Just a day before, White said that the same route was blocked by police, and his mood was much more somber.
A driver had hit a three-year-old boy in the driveway of a home.
The driver of the car did not stop, police said.
The child was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, where police said he remained.
“A whole lot of policemen. I was wondering what was happening. I’m sorry, that’s sad to hear that though,” White said.
The hit-and-run occurred a little after 6 p.m. on Sunday outside a home whose owner runs a snow-cone business on the weekends.
The injured child was there with one of the customers.
On Monday, Chesterfield Police released surveillance images of two vehicles that drove away shortly after the child was hit.
One is a gray or silver Nissan sedan, and the other was a white Acura sedan.
“Right now, the child is still at the hospital, he’s being treated for life-threatening injuries, but as of the last update, he was stable,” Chesterfield Police Sgt. Stephan Rouze said. This could have been your child; this could’ve been a child you care about. If you know whose cars these are, if you recognize these cars, if you think it might be a car that might be involved, please contact us. We’d rather look into it and not have the right vehicle than not know it existed at all.”
Rouze said there were witnesses who reported the boy was completely run over by the vehicle and several others on the property when he was hit.
“One of the patrons observed the child had been struck by the vehicle. They did say they tried to flag down the driver, but they received no response,” Rouze said.
“We hope that it was an honest mistake. The property there is a gravel lot; it’s probably bumpy and bouncy. Just driving through there, you feel your vehicle rock. So, there is a chance the person who struck this child might not even know it. That’s why we put the pictures out. If you recognize that as your vehicle, please contact us. We just need to talk about the situation,” he continued.
One of White’s grandchildren is just a little older than the boy who was struck; his thoughts are with the boy and his family.
“I just pray to God that he makes it through, and I’m praying for the parents of the child. That’s sad,” White said.
Anyone with any information was urged to contact Chesterfield Police at 804-748-1251 or Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
