A 17-year-old girl is dead after she was hit by a vehicle in Pittsburgh’s Carrick neighborhood on Friday afternoon, authorities said.
A spokesperson for Pittsburgh Public Safety said police were called to a vehicle and pedestrian crash at the intersection of Brownsville Road and Woodford Avenue shortly before 3 p.m.
Reportedly, a vehicle driving down Brownsville Road started sliding before hitting a pole, public safety said. The driver kept sliding before hitting a 17-year-old girl who was standing on the sidewalk.
(Photo: KDKA)
Pittsburgh Public Safety said paramedics began CPR and took the teenager to the hospital in critical condition, where she was later pronounced dead. Pittsburgh Public Schools identified the 17-year-old as Carrick student Ishara Kami.
The driver remained at the scene, authorities said. A pickup truck was towed away from the scene.
Around the time the crash happened, Pittsburgh was under a snow squall warning. The National Weather Service says snow squalls produce sudden white-out conditions and can produce icy roads in just a few minutes.
“[The roads] were frosted over,” said Darryl Hull, who lives nearby. “They were covered, and the visibility was horrible. The wind was blowing like 30, 40 miles an hour.”
Pittsburgh Public Schools says victim had “kind spirit”
Pittsburgh Public Schools said Kami was in the Health Tech program at Carrick.
“Ishara is described by staff as a beautiful student who had recently begun to come out of her shell. … She was known for her kind spirit, helpful nature, and the genuine care she showed to others. She was well loved by her peers, an all-around good student, and a true joy to have in class,” Pittsburgh Public Schools said in a statement on Friday.
In an email to families, principal Dawn Fitchwell said the teen girl “was preparing to take her next steps beyond Carrick with her future ahead of her, and her life was tragically cut short far too soon.”
The district said it’s coordinating with school leadership to provide counseling and support services to students and staff.
“We extend our deepest condolences to Ishara’s family, friends, classmates, teachers and the entire Carrick school community during this incredibly difficult time,” the district’s statement said.
Carrick High is just a few blocks from where the crash happened.
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