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Police: Truck Driver Hits Student In Wheelchair In Thornton, Takes Off

THORNTON, Colo. (CBS4) - Thornton Police are asking for help looking for the driver of a black Ford pick-up, which struck a child headed to school in his electric wheel chair.

Police say it happened just before 8 a.m. Tuesday. The child was headed to school at York International and was southbound on York, against oncoming traffic.

Witnesses told police he was traveling near the 9300 block of York, when the truck turned north from 93rd Place. That's when it sideswiped the wheel chair, knocking the student to the ground causing injury and damaging the wheel chair. The black truck continued north on York Street leaving the area at a high rate of speed.

CBS4 spoke with parents and students leaving school Tuesday who were just beginning to hear about the incident.

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"It's sad because I usually see him on his wheelchair to school," said Valarie Valdivia.

Valerie doesn't know the student well, but she has seen him commuting to school and knows it's not always easy.

"The sidewalk is too small for the wheelchair," she demonstrated with her hands, her father, Juan, nodding in agreement.

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It's part of the reason she says he has to ride in the street. Juan added the biggest problem is distracted drivers.

"This is the first time it happened, and if the parents pay attention and the driver pay attention I don't think we need the police. It's a pretty nice area to be honest."

It is not a new issue around schools and for that reason, Juan walks Valerie and his other children to school.

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"Well I walk with them everyday because, yeah, it's a lot of traffic," said Juan.

Charles Martinez lives near where the crash occurred, on the corner of Eppinger Boulevard and York Street. He agrees with the Valdivas, it's a high traffic area with many distracted drivers.

"Living on this corner does open your eyes a lot and understand that there are a lot of things that need to change and people need to be more cautious," Martinez said.

He knows the issue isn't unique to his neighborhood, but he knows he can do something about it. Along with his neighbors, he says he recently petitioned the city to make changes around the crosswalk.

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"We have children walking from school all the way to the rec center everyday all day, and cars speed by here like they don't even see it," said Martinez.

Police say they do not know the status of the child, but know his injuries were enough that he needed to be taken to a local hospital.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867 or the Thornton Police Department.

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