HIGHLAND SPRINGS, Va. — Neighbors who live off Nine Mile Road near Highland Springs say the strip of roadway just after you leave the commercial build-up near Laburnum Avenue sees problems day and night.
The latest, tragic example, neighbors said, involved a hit-and-run driver who struck a mother and her toddler early Friday morning.
Henrico Police were called to the 5700 block of Nine Mile Road just after 1:15 a.m. where they found the woman and her young child on Nine Mile Road.
Police said they believe a silver sedan/coupe hit the mother while she was carrying her child and walking along the side of the road.
Both the mother and toddler remained at the hospital late Friday with what are considered life-threatening injuries, according to police.
"To our knowledge, she was doing everything correctly," Lt. David Turner with Henrico Police said. "The mother was walking along the side of Nine Mile Road holding her 21-month-old child when she was struck by a vehicle somewhat head-on because she was walking in the opposite direction of travel.”
The driver who fled the scene was traveling east on Nine Mile Road, police believe. Henrico's Crash Team has pieced together how the crash happened, but since the incident occurred so early in the morning, police said they will need community help to find the driver responsible.
“We’re going to need help with witnesses, I’m not sure if the victim has been able to provide any information at this point," Turner said. "It’s really going to be incumbent on the community to help us."
Investigators do not yet know if alcohol played a factor in the wreck.
There are no sidewalks, a shoulder, or street lights in the area where the mother and toddler were hit, something neighbors said is an ongoing issue since many people walk and bike to the commercial areas near Laburnum from the neighborhoods closer to the Highland Springs community.
Also, multiple neighbors said drivers routinely ignore the 40 mph speed limit in the area, making more dangerous an already tricky transportation area.
"This particular spot right here sees a lot of accidents," said one neighbor who asked we not use his name but has lived near the hit-and-run scene for a decade. "Drivers not paying attention, drivers distracted, drivers going too fast... We definitely need a sidewalk, also, maybe a speed reduction."
“My heart definitely goes out to everyone involved, the victim," the neighbor continued. "I hope whoever hit them will be truthful enough to come forward.”
If you have information that could help detectives, call Henrico Police at 804-501-5000 or Crime Stoppers 804-780-1000. If you were in the area and saw something, submit an anonymous tip via www.P3tips.com. All tips submitted on P3Tips or Crime Stoppers are anonymous.
This is a developing story, so anyone with more information can email newstips@wtvr.com to send a tip.
