4-year-old critically injured in Herriman accident

HERRIMAN — A 4-year-old boy was hospitalized in serious condition Wednesday after being hit by an SUV.

The accident happened about 8:40 a.m. in front of Herriman Elementary School, 13170 S. 6000 West. An end-of-year program was happening at the school at the time, said Unified Fire Authority Capt. Cliff Burningham, with many students performing for their parents.

A mother with several young children, none of whom were of elementary school age, had just parked on a side street near the school because the school parking lot was full, Burningham said. Her 4-year-old son got out of the vehicle, walked onto the road and was struck by an oncoming SUV traveling between 25 to 30 mph.

"He was struck by the front bumper and possibly run over from the front tire," Burningham said.

The boy suffered abdomen and pelvis injuries but was conscious and crying when paramedics arrived. He was flown by helicopter to Primary Children's Medical Center, where he was listed in serious but stable condition.

The accident marked the latest in a bad month for auto-pedestrian and hit-and-run accidents. In June alone, there were seven people killed or seriously injured in Utah, most of them along the Wasatch Front:

• June 25 — Keiara Roberts, 13, of Kingman, Ariz., was killed after being hit while riding a bicycle in Santa Clara.

• June 24 — A 7-year-old girl was hit and killed while trying to cross 3600 West and 5400 South.

• June 22 — Elvia Lopez, 26, was crossing the intersection of 900 South and West Temple, when she was struck by a hit-and-run driver. She remains in critical condition. Salt Lake police are offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the driver.

• June 8 — Shariah Casper, 15, of West Jordan, died after she was struck by a TRAX train near 3200 West and 8600 South. She and her cousin were crossing the tracks right after one train passed, unaware of a second train going the opposite direction.

• June 15 — Burk Thueson, 37, was crossing 12600 South near 2230 West, when he was hit. He was last listed in serious condition.

• June 6 — Brynn Barton, a nurse in the maternal care unit at University Hospital, was riding her bicycle with friends near 800 East and 700 South when she was hit and killed. The driver of the vehicle drove off and has not been found. A $6,000 reward for information has been offered in that case.

In addition, a 34-year-old woman was killed in March in an auto-pedestrian accident in Ogden; a 12-year-old West Valley boy was critically injured after being hit while walking to school; and two children in Kearns, ages 7 and 9, were critically injured after being hit while trying to cross busy 4700 South near 4100 West.

Police say both drivers and pedestrians, including children and their parents, need to be aware of their surroundings. Police also encourage hit-and-run drivers to not run but rather contact authorities to help them understand what happened, and to help the victims and their families.

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