Police from the Major Crash Investigation Section have charged a 49-year-old Maddington woman over a hit and run crash in Willetton on Tuesday, June 27, which left 12-year-old Alexis Lloyd with serious injuries.
Alexis was walking to school when she was struck by white Suzuki Baleno hatchback on Pinetree Gully Road.
It will be alleged the accused driver went through a pedestrian crossing and collided with Alexis.
It will be further alleged she failed to stop and render assistance to Alexis who broke her collarbone and a leg.
She was taken to hospital by ambulance for treatment.
On Monday August 21, following a two-month investigation, the woman was arrested and charged with failing to stop and provide assistance, failing to report the Incident and not having a driver’s licence.
Speaking after the crash, Alexis’s mother, Tory Carter, told the ABC she had received a call from the school five minutes after dropping her daughter off, telling her of the accident.
“It was a big shock, a really big shock,” Ms Carter said.
“I was there within a few minutes. She was on the ground with a big crowd of people around her, so pretty scary.
“Obviously I just wanted to cuddle her but I knew it was really important not to move her.
“She kept asking me, ‘Mum am I bleeding, am I bleeding?’ … she was quite shaken.”
At its last meeting, Canning Council voted to ask its CEO to review pedestrian safety on Pinetree Gully Road following the accident as the school’s number of students is expected to grow to more than 3000 while neighbouring Burrendah Primary School has 600 students.
The council wants flashing speed signs installed, the safety barrier extended west to Agincourt Drive and a new zebra crosswalk.
“Outside of the short period of time that a crossing guard is in attendance, students and staff crossing busy Pinetree Gully Road are left to their own devices, and the crossing is uncontrolled,” the report said.
“At the time of the incident, many other students were also crossing the road, and this incident could have had a far more tragic outcome.”
Det-Sen. Const. William Beyfus described the investigation as “significant” as it involved a process of elimination of about 500 white Suzuki Balenos in the area.
“The police spent a lot of hours in the area . . . CCTV was gathered from the school, the shopping centre and various houses, as well as using our police network to look at the vehicle which we thought was involved and doing research on those vehicles,” he said.
He said Alexis’s recovery was going well.
“She’s back at school, she’s no longer in a wheelchair, but she still is requiring further support from the police as well as health treatment,” he said.
The Maddington woman is due to appear in the Armadale Magistrates Court on September 5.
