JCPD vehicle hits child who ran into street; Highway Patrol investigating

An ambulance arrives on the scene as emergency personnel treat a pedestrian after he was hit in the 800 block of East McCarty Street Wednesday.
An ambulance arrives on the scene as emergency personnel treat a pedestrian after he was hit in the 800 block of East McCarty Street Wednesday.

The Missouri Highway Patrol is investigating an accident where a Jefferson City police officer hit a young child who apparently ran into the street Wednesday morning.

Patrol Cpl. Scott White said the police officer called the 911 dispatch at 11:02 a.m. to say he had been involved in an accident near East McCarty Street and Cherry Street.

"Based on the preliminary investigation, it appears a male child just over the age of one ran from between a parked van into East McCarty and was struck by the police car," White said. "It appears that the child just left the house, which is in the 800 block of East McCarty, and just simply snuck out a back door."

White said the officer involved went to the police station and was being interviewed by Patrol investigators.

"Our responsibility is the actual crash investigation," White said. "The department contacted us to do the crash investigation. It's something that typically happens in situations such as these. In this situation, we had a young child who was in the street and struck by a police car. So in a serious matter like this, we are often times brought in to investigate."

White said the child was flown by air ambulance to University Hospital in Columbia and was listed as having non-life threatening injuries Wednesday afternoon.

"We certainly don't allege that the child was unproperly supervised from what we have been able to find out," White said.

"With the Patrol conducting the investigation of the crash, it would be inappropriate for us to comment at this time," Jefferson City Police Chief Roger Schroeder said. "We'll conduct an internal review pursuant to our policy. Any disposition, of course, will have to wait for the conclusion of the investigation. The officer begins a series of scheduled days off starting today. We'll make a determination during that time. That decision is dependent upon the apparent facts, as known, in each situation.

"Our first and foremost concern is the health of the child," Schroeder said. "Given the circumstances of this matter, we will confer with the officer and make a determination as to what is best for all involved. The officer will return when we feel he can safely focus his attention to his on-duty responsibilities."

"We certainly don't allege that the child was unproperly supervised from what we have been to find out," White said.