Boy, 6, hit by car, suffers head injury

Staff report

new castle, pa.

A child was in serious condition with a head injury after being hit by a car while waiting for a school bus.

Police Chief Tom Sansone said the 6-year-old boy, whose name he would not release pending completion of the accident report, was taken by helicopter to a Pittsburgh hospital after the accident at 10 a.m. Friday at South Mill and Phillips streets.

Sansone said the child was waiting at the corner with his father, Santos Colon, 26, of New Castle. Colon was not hit. There was no directory listing for him.

Also hit was Karen Bart-berger, 53, of New Castle, who was nearby waiting with her grandchild. She was not seriously injured, Sansone said.

Sansone said the driver, Samuel Abraham, 48, of Neshannock Township, was driving west on Mill Street when he crossed the center line and jumped a curb, striking the child, who was on the east side of the street. Bartberger was just around the corner on Phillips.

Sansone estimated Abraham traveled about 30 feet before he struck the child and Bartberger. He told police the road was slippery. Sansone said the road was wet, not snow-covered.

Sansone said Abraham took a blood test to detect whether he was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The results are pending. No charges have been filed yet, he said.

Sansone said the boy was knocked down and his head hit the pavement. He had a head injury and slipped in and out of consciousness before he was taken to Pittsburgh, he said.

The child is a kindergarten student in the New Castle schools. School district Superintendent George Gabriel did not return a call to comment.