Metro Police search for driver who struck 5 kids in Edgehill neighborhood

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Metro Police are searching for the driver of a car neighbors said hit a group of children before speeding off Sunday night.

Neighbors said some watched as a driver hit a group of children while they were crossing the street on 12th Avenue South, but many are more shocked by how late the young children were outside. It’s an area many said they see children walking around daily.

“This is a community. We have kids that stay out here, so when I come through, I drive the speed limit,” Makayla Ward said.

When Ward saw a group of children walking along 12th Avenue South Sunday afternoon, she didn’t think much of it.

“They were heading towards the Smoothie King,” Ward said.

Metro Police said the children were between the ages of 5 and 10.

“I see them so many times in the neighborhood crossing the street, and you can tell someone taught them,” Ward said.

Just hours after one woman said she told the group to go home, she heard a crash. Neighbors said someone driving a brownish car around 7:30 p.m. Sunday crashed into the five children crossing at the intersection of 12th Avenue South and Horton Avenue.

“Immediately when I heard, I rolled over and saw what was going on, and I was literally was in shock, like mouth wide open in disbelief. I cannot believe that happened to that group of kids,” Ward said.

Witnesses said the two women were in the brown car that sped off toward Wedgewood Avenue.

“I really don’t know what came over her. i really don’t know,” Ward said.

Two witnesses said they believed the car had a green light and the children may have cross when they shouldn’t have, but Ward heard something else.

“To hear the kids say that she told them come on and the proceeded, I was just in shock. How can you do that to some kids? They are children,” Ward said.

Police said two of the children were taken to the hospital for body aches. Officers are on the lookout for the driver responsible.

“I hope they catch her, and I hope that she is held accountable for what she’s done,” Ward said.

Ward said she and other parents in the area are now keeping an even closer eye on their children.

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