North Highlands (Putnam) - Ped. Struck 3/16/07

[Guest 66Alpha1]

Date: 3-16-07

Time: 8:20 AM

Location: Route 9

Frequency: 46.36, 46.54

Units Operating: Philipstown Ambulance, Garrison Ambulance, Putnam Medic 1, North Highlands FD, PCSO, NYSP

Description Of Incident: Girl attempting to catch school bus struck twice by cars in North and South lanes of Route 9. Subject apparently pinned in unknown fashion w/ car. PVAC w/ Medic 1 to WMC. Garrison to HVHC w/ driver of one car for shock (unknown if Medic 2 was on this job).

Writer: 66alpha1

Philipstown girl, 12, struck by 2 cars as she crosses Route 9

By D. SCOTT FAUBEL

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original publication: March 16, 2007)

PHILIPSTOWN - A 12-year-old girl sustained a broken leg and a bruised lung when she was struck by two cars while crossing the highway to catch her school bus yesterday morning.

Jessica Mendola of Route 9 in Philipstown had crossed the road near her home after she missed the bus on its northbound trip, according to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.

She was planning to catch it after it turned around and headed south when, while speaking on a cell phone to her mother, she was struck by a southbound car about 8:20 a.m.

She was thrown into the northbound lane, where a second vehicle struck her and pinned her, the sheriff's office said.

Sheriff's Deputy Christopher Pollard came upon the scene, where both vehicles had stopped and the drivers were trying to help the girl.

Crews from the Philipstown and Garrison ambulance corps and the North Highlands Fire Department tended to Jessica and took her to Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla. The driver of the southbound car, 23-year-old Kathleen Biddle of Philipstown, was taken to Hudson Valley Hospital Center in Cortlandt for shock.

Neither she nor the other driver, Cheryl Cherico of Cold Spring, 35, were charged.

Sheriff's Capt. William McNamara said Jessica's injuries did not appear to be life threatening.

Edited March 17, 2007 by 66Alpha1