A 12-year-old student and a school staff member were hospitalized after being struck by a car outside a Pittsburgh school on Wednesday afternoon.
Emergency responders arrived at the intersection of Monticello Street and North Murtland Street in the Homewood West neighborhood around 3 p.m. local time on October 15. According to a statement from the Pittsburgh Public Safety Department, the crash involved a vehicle hitting two pedestrians.
When crews arrived, they found a 12-year-old boy and an adult woman on the sidewalk of Monticello Street, near Westinghouse Academy. The boy had suffered traumatic injuries to his lower limbs and was transported to UPMC Children’s Hospital in critical condition, where he immediately underwent surgery. The woman was taken to another hospital in stable condition.
By Thursday, October 16, the boy’s condition had improved to “more stable,” though he had “lost a lot of blood,” said Pittsburgh Public Safety spokesperson Emily Bourne, per ABC affiliate WTAE. Bourne explained that the driver’s vehicle had “pinned” both pedestrians against a low retaining wall, leading to “quite significant traumatic injuries” for the child.
A representative for Pittsburgh Public Schools confirmed to WTAE that the boy is a Westinghouse Academy student and the woman is a one-to-one classroom assistant. Superintendent Wayne Walters said both were “simply standing waiting for transportation” when they were hit.
“Our thoughts and prayers are first and foremost with that student and that staff member,” Walters said. “We wish them a speedy recovery, and we hope we can prevent incidents like this—especially near our schools.”
A preliminary investigation revealed that the driver, traveling southbound on North Murtland Street, made a right turn onto Monticello Street but continued veering right, jumping the curb and striking the pedestrians.
One witness told NBC affiliate WPXI that the crash happened “so quick” that students gathered nearby “didn’t get a chance to get out of the way.” The witness added, “It’s not like she was really going fast; she just avoided the car—it was just a quick swerve.”
Officials stated that the driver remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators. Authorities also said “alcohol intoxication is a potential factor in the collision.”
“There is a potential, a probability that alcohol was a factor, and so charges are expected in this case,” Bourne told WTAE.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities review camera footage and witness statements.
