Pittsburgh police search for vehicle of hit-and-run driver who injured 4-year-old boy
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Pittsburgh police have found the SUV that allegedly hit a small child in the city's Hill District neighborhood on Thursday.
A new video shows the driver appearing to stop after hitting the 4-year-old boy before taking off from the scene.
KDKA-TV has learned from the boy's mother that his name is Elijah Rivers. This incident comes after people have made several attempts to get traffic calming measures near this scene.
A day care on Webster Avenue captured the video of the hit-and-run crash on Thursday afternoon.
"I can't even imagine. I couldn't hit an animal and keep going," daycare owner Jackie Wright said.
Rivers was hit after running on Webster Avenue. He was thrown several feet by the driver of the SUV and was motionless in the middle of the street. Wright couldn't believe the video as she gave it to law enforcement.
"It was horrific. We saw the baby fly up in the air and dragged down the street," Wright said.
In the video, the driver appears to stop while a child comes running to help Rivers. The driver moves up a little and stops again before taking off out of frame. Rivers is then dragged to the sidewalk for aid.
"Stop. Get help. Just stop and talk to people. You didn't help the baby," Wright said.
People living in the area have been calling for changes. Wright said people drive recklessly and there is no care for the speed limit.
"We have been petitioning, trying to get help up here," Wright told KDKA-TV on Friday.
The city confirmed it's received requests for traffic calming measures in that area. City officials must review them and see what can be done.
"When we get those types of requests, (the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure) does go out and collect data and say does it meet the requirements for a traffic calming project?" Mayor Ed Gainey's spokesperson Olga George said.
If it does meet the requirements, it's then compared with the needs of other neighborhood projects. Wright wants to see something done before something like this happens again.
Elijah's mother says he is still at the hospital, but he is doing well.
Police say charges are forthcoming, though the driver's identity has not been released.
