A man is expected to face court after a 12-year-old boy in Sydney, Australia, was fatally hit by a car on his way to school.
Emergency services were called to Forest Road in Hurstville on Friday morning after the Sydney Technical High School Year 7 student was struck during the busy morning drop off.
The boy was trapped under a Toyota Corolla—outside the nearby Hurstville Public School—before witnesses helped free him and began performing CPR.
He was taken to Sydney Children’s Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival, NSW Police said in a statement.
A boy has died, and a man is in custody following a fatal single-vehicle crash in Hurstville today. https://t.co/y4J74wswJL
— NSW Police Force (@nswpolice) September 6, 2019
The 36-year-old male driver of the car, a Corolla, was arrested at the scene by police and underwent mandatory blood and urine testing.
The man, whose name is Abdul Rahman, has charged with manslaughter, dangerous driving occasioning death, driving disqualified and other traffic offences.
Police say he allegedly ran a red light.
He has been refused bail ahead of a scheduled appearance at Parramatta Bail Court on Saturday.
Acting Superintendent Craig James on Friday described the incident as tragic.
“There were a number of kids being dropped off by their mums and dads, there were teachers that ran out to this,” he told reporters. “This is absolutely awful … This is a tragic, tragic set of circumstances.”
NSW Ambulance Inspector David Stride on Friday thanked those people who tried to help the boy before paramedics arrived.
“The bystanders who stopped and assisted in giving CPR did an incredible job under tremendously difficult circumstances,” he said in a statement.
“A NSW Ambulance chaplain has been sent to the scene and our thoughts are with the boy’s family and friends.”
