'Drivers just need to be very careful': Mother, daughter seriously injured after being struck by car in Renton

RENTON, Wash. – An elementary school student and her mother were recovering at Harborview Medical Center after being struck by a car while crossing a street on their way to school Monday morning.

It happened around 8 o’clock in Renton at Southeast 184th Street and 116th Avenue Southeast.

Renton police say the causing driver was trying to turn a corner when she struck the people in the crosswalk. The driver stayed at the scene and was cooperating with police.

The victim’s family told Q13 News the mother with her 3rd-grade daughter were hit while walking to Benson Hill Elementary School only a block away.

“My little brother came to the house and told me something had happened to him,” said Jose Mariscal.

Mariscal says the two injured in this morning’s crash are his aunt and cousin. The crash happened right in front of his home.

“I see them there lying on the floor and she’s all crying and stuff,” said Mariscal.

Medics rushed the two to Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center; the mother was listed in serious condition and her daughter was worse, listed in critical.

“We’ve got 16,000 kids that come to school every day so we’re always hearing about cars going a little too fast in areas and not paying attention to pedestrians,” said Renton School District spokesperson Randy Matheson. “I think that’s what happened this morning.”

There are two marked crosswalks on this stretch of road north of the elementary school.

Now that warm weather is expected for most of Western Washington, school officials are urging drivers to take extra care as more families may be walking to school.

“Now that we have sunny days, sun is in your eye and you have to watch for that, too,” said Matheson. “Distracted driving is always a concern with families walking to school. Drivers just need to be very careful.”