14-year-old hit by car while crossing street in Lincoln

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – For the second day in a row, a child was hit by a vehicle in Lincoln while crossing the road.

The Lincoln Police Department says a 14-year-old boy was struck near Eighth and C streets around 8 a.m. Wednesday.

Neighbors Wes and Rhonda Baldwin caught the whole thing on their security cameras.

“I heard a lot of screaming out here,” Rhonda said. “I woke up, came out to my living room. I saw a group of people across the street.”

The video shows the boy getting out of a parked vehicle on the eastbound side of the road.

He then goes around the back of the vehicle and runs into the street. It was not at an intersection.

A westbound car then hits the boy, and the driver stops and gets out.

Police said the teen had minor injuries.

This occurred just 24 hours after a black SUV hit another child near Culler Middle School.

LPD still hasn’t been able to identify the driver who took off and is asking anyone with video or information to contact them.

“People need to be aware and make sure they’re paying attention ’cause we haven’t been in school that long,” Baldwin said.

Sgt. Sara Genoways with LPD said it’s more important now than ever to be cautious and pay attention if you’re driving anywhere near a school zone.

She said that even at 25 mph, a vehicle is traveling about 36 feet per second.

“It takes everybody at least a second and a half to even hit the brakes after they see a problem,” Genoways said. “So that’s quite a far distance that a car would have to go before they see a kid run in front of them, apply the brakes and come to a stop.”

She said it’s especially important to pay attention as you get onto non-residential roads near schools where the speed limit is higher.

“Always assume that someone else, especially other drivers, are going to do the wrong thing,” she said. “Please wear your seat belt, please make sure your kids are wearing their seat belts, and remind your kids to be safe when crossing the road.”

If you have more info about either crash, you can call Lincoln Police at 402-441-6000 or Crime Stoppers at 402-475-3600.