Kelsey Parrett and a friend were walking down the road at 15th Avenue and Juniper Street in Milton, WA about 9 pm last night when Kelsey was struck by a GMC van speeding by. The van sped away without stopping, leaving Parrett on the side of the road with life-threatening injuries and her friend frantically looking for help, Washington State Patrol spokeswoman Brandy Kessler said.

Medical crews and police quickly arrived at the scene. Parrett was rushed to Madigan Army Medical Center. She tried to hold on through the night, but ended up dying from her injuries at about 5:30 this morning, the Medical Examiner’s Office reported.

Investigation of the scene found evidence of the GMC van. Patrols of the local area found the van home near the hit-and-run accident, Kessler said, and the suspected driver and passenger were arrested.

The driver is male, 47 and the other male passenger is 48, Kessler said. Both men were booked into Pierce County Jail shortly after 1 a.m. on vehicular assault and failure to remain at the scene of the crash, according to the online jail roster.

“There was evidence taken from the crash scene that linked the truck to the crime,” Kessler said. “Investigators were looking into whether alcohol was involved. The driver’s blood was drawn for testing.”

The van was towed from the residence.

The candlelight vigil begins at 8 p.m. at the scene of the crash, Faith Family Church reported. Our condolences go out to the family and her friends for their terrible loss.

The driver has not been identified as being drunk. If that were the case then that is merely one more charge stacked on what could be at his age a large chunk of his life spent in jail, probably around 10 years.

The driver’s negligence is not the only fault in this situation though. If you look at the neighborhood, the houses are well kept and the lawns mowed. But what the neighborhood is lacking is adequate sidewalks. This young girl may not have had to die if the area were only slightly pedestrian friendly.

Notice in the picture that there are no markings even warning drivers that people could be walking and no crosswalks at intersections. Kids should be able to safely leave their yards, walk, ride their bicycles in their neighborhood without out fear of being hit by a car.

If you suspect that your loved one’s death in a fatal car accident was caused due to the negligence of another driver it is important that you find legal council that is experienced in wrongful death lawsuits. Call the Seattle car accident lawyers at Phillips Webster for a free consultation.

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