12-Year-Old Girl Airlifted To Hospital After Brentwood Hit-And-Run; Suspect Arrested
BRENTWOOD (CBS SF) -- A 12-year-old girl has been hospitalized and a suspected hit-and-run driver arrested on DUI charges after the youngster was struck by a vehicle in Brentwood on Thursday morning, authorities said.
Brentwood police said the female driver was discovered sitting in her damaged GMC SUV in a nearby parking lot and taken into custody. Her identity was not immediately released, but she has been booked on felony hit-and-run and DUI charges.
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The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District said firefighters responded at about 7:05 a.m. to a collision reported in the area of Sunset Road and Trailside Drive.
Upon arrival, officers found the 12-year-old girl lying injured on the side of the road. She apparently had been walking southbound across Sunset and Trailside when she was struck. The girl was alert, but had sustained major injuries.
Stepfather Jay Jones identified the girl as Demari Powell and said she is going to make a full recovery.
"She is as tough as nails," said Jones. "So she got hit with a Suburban, which is a lot bigger than my Rav4. All she has is some bruises and some stitches."
Jones said he didn't want to focus on the negative and instead wanted to thank the officers, paramedics and others who helped Demari. He said many neighbors took care of Demari until first responders arrived.
Police said the driver, who is approximately in her late 40s or early 50s, is believed to have been both drunk and under the influence of drugs at the time of the crash, which happened about two blocks from the girl's home.
Demari is well loved in her neighborhood. During the 2018 Christmas holiday season, she raised money for homeless women in Brentwood.
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