Global Courant 2023-04-27 08:42:23
Police say a medical emergency may be responsible for the “tragic accident” that occurred Tuesday morning when a pickup truck slammed into a mother and daughter, killing the mother near Hancock Park Elementary School.
Police had investigated the driver and suggested on Tuesday that “drugs or alcohol” may have contributed to the accident that killed the 35-year-old woman, whose name was not immediately released. The 6-year-old daughter was hospitalized in critical condition on Monday and police did not provide an update on her condition.
But on Wednesday, police reversed their assessment of the crash and said it appeared to be an accident.
“At this time, based on the totality of the circumstances, this appears to be a tragic accident that may have resulted from a medical emergency,” the department said in a press release.
The department said they had identified the driver of the pickup and he was not in custody.
“It is possible that charges will be filed at a later date,” the department added.
The driver was reportedly speeding when he slammed into the mother and daughter, who were walking on a crosswalk near the school at around 8am in Mid-Wilshire.
After hitting them, he drove into a two-story apartment building on the 6200 block of Colgate Avenue, according to police.
The woman died on the spot. Her daughter — and the truck driver — were hospitalized, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The man was in ‘mediocre condition’.
A woman who came out of a house immediately after the accident said she held the little girl in her arms before an ambulance arrived to take the child to a hospital. according to NBC.
“’Girl, you are not alone. I’m here honey. Hear my voice,” the woman, Cassandra, told the girl, according to the report.
Kassandra heard the girl moan and saw her mother, who was clearly dead.
“I want the family, if anyone is listening, to know that she was not alone in those moments. She was not alone. I didn’t let go of her hand,’ Kassandra said.
