A young girl was killed during a Christmas parade in Raleigh, North Carolina when one of the vehicles pulling a float hit her and killed her. This was confirmed by the Raleigh Police Department to Fox News Digital.
WRAL says that the 78th Raleigh Christmas Parade was stopped at 10:25 a.m. Saturday when a member of the CC & Co. Dance Complex was hit by a car that was out of control. First responders were called to the scene.
The girl was taken to a nearby hospital for care, but police said that despite their best efforts to save her life, she died from her injuries.
As the driver lost control, the truck seems to be getting faster. As you can see in the YouTube video, some people ran away from the truck, while others rushed toward it to try to stop it from hitting other people in the parade.
People who saw what happened said there was a lot of confusion. WRAL heard from a woman who saw the accident, “The girls kept dancing, and then very quickly parted as the truck moved through them. There were more dancers beyond this group. We were all, I think, wondering if it was part of the parade.” She added, “Perhaps [the truck] picked up a little bit of speed and it kept honking, and then there was quite a bit more chaos. Everyone started to look confused. I do not know, perhaps the fire engine and other first responders helped stop the truck. I am not clear whether or not someone was hit on the ground.”
Another bystander said she saw the girl lying on the ground and covered with a blanket. Others said they heard tires screeching, people screaming, and the car’s horn going off when the accident happened.
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The accident is still being looked into, police said.
The driver helped the police and was charged with misdemeanor death by motor vehicle, careless and reckless, improper equipment, unsafe movement, and carrying a gun in a parade.
WRAL says the parade went on for about an hour before the accident, after which it was called off.
Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin issued a statement after the accident: “Today started with such joy. The parade route was packed with smiling kids and it made my heart so happy to see. Now we are all devastated by the news of this tragic accident and praying for the victim and her family. It is heartbreaking.”
Featured Image screenshot from embedded YouTube video.