Costumed Tulsa boy, 7, struck and killed by car before dawn on Halloween
BY AMANDA BLAND World Staff Writer
Thursday, November 01, 2012
11/01/12 at 8:14 AM
A 7-year-old boy who was wearing a dark Halloween costume was fatally injured when he was struck by a car before dawn Wednesday.
Elijah Rivers and his 12-year-old sister were walking near Virgin Street when the boy stepped a few feet off the curb onto Harvard Avenue and was struck about 6:55 a.m., police said.
The boy was in critical condition when he was taken by ambulance to St. John Medical Center, EMSA spokeswoman Kelli Bruer said.
He was pronounced dead shortly before 9 a.m., Tulsa Police Sgt. Chris Witt said.
The boy was a student at Tulsa Lighthouse Charter School, 105 E. 63rd St. North, Tulsa Public Schools spokesman Chris Payne said.
He and his sister were walking to Celia Clinton Elementary School, 1740 N. Harvard Ave., to catch a bus to Lighthouse when he stepped into the street and was hit. The boy's sister tried to stop him but couldn't, Payne said.
Counselors are meeting with children at both schools, officials said.
"Tulsa Lighthouse Charter School is deeply saddened by the loss of life that occurred this morning when one of our scholars was fatally hit by a car," Principal Jamila MacArthur said in a news release. "The safety of our students is the primary concern at Tulsa Lighthouse Charter School. We share the pain felt by so many and grieve with the family."
Virgin Street is three blocks from Clinton Elementary School, where a crossing guard is posted to assist students crossing Harvard. Several Clinton students witnessed the accident, Payne said.
Tulsa Public Schools has "several staff members who are meeting with the children this morning to help them through this very difficult day," he said.
Fire Department officials said the boy was wearing a dark-colored Halloween costume at the time of the accident, which was before sunrise.
Fire Capt. Stan May said parents should always add reflective material to their children's Halloween costumes to increase safety, noting that it "give the drivers a chance to see them."
An investigation into Wednesday's accident continues, police said. The driver of the car had not been cited.
Original Print Headline: Boy, 7, is struck and killed by car
Amanda Bland 918-581-8413
amanda.bland@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
A police officer investigates the scene of a traffic accident early Wednesday at Harvard Avenue and Virgin Street. MIKE SIMONS/Tulsa World
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