Lincoln teen reunites with officer who was first on scene of hit-and-run

An emotional reunion more than a decade in the making took place at Lincoln’s police station Thursday morning. 

On May 23, 2007, Molly Lanham was talking to a bus stop with her mother when she was the victim of a hit-and-run. 

The crash left Lanham with traumatic brain damage, a collapsed lung, and several other injuries. 

Officer Brian Ward with the Lincoln Police department was the first on the scene, and helped eventually catch the person responsible for the hit-and-run.

“It’s a very emotional scene, very traumatic,” Ward said, recalling the scene. 

Thursday, Lanham and her family went to the police station to meet with Ward. It was their first reunion since the day of the crash. 

“We have our walking, talking miracle today because of the response of people here in Lincoln that made that possible,” said Molly’s mother, Amy Lanham.

Ward said the meeting brought some closure to what could have been a tragic situation. 

Molly Lanham, who is now 17, is getting ready to graduate from Lincoln Southwest High School.