OCOEE, Fla. — A young Ocoee girl has a long recovery ahead of her after she and a friend were hit by an SUV while riding her bike home from school on Tuesday.
Aubrey Clark, 10, suffered a head injury and her friend, Jordan El Ouadi, also 10, was injured but is OK.
Aubrey Clark’s father was surrounded by fellow Osceola County firefighters when he spoke about his daughter’s injuries.
“My own words about last night—the worst night of my life. I don’t think anybody should have to (go through) that,” said Danny Clark.
Police said the driver, 40-year-old Lastevie Howard hit the young girl and boy as he drove his SUV out of a Walgreens exit at the intersection of Clarke Road and Silver Star Road on Tuesday.
"He came out at a high rate of speed, according to the yellow marks in the street. He was in the wrong lane coming out," Lt. Mike Bryant of the Ocoee Police Department said.
Aubrey was rushed to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children after the crash.
“One side of her brain was uninjured and the other side, we already knew, was injured,” Clark said.
The young girl remains unconscious and on medication.
According to police, witnesses flagged down the driver because he appeared to be fleeing the scene.
"Witnesses were fantastic, especially if they did guilt him into coming back," said Bryant.
Investigators said Howard drove around cars in front of him, waiting to leave the Walgreens parking lot.
“They (the children) were on the sidewalk not doing anything wrong when this accident happened,” said Bryant of the Ocoee Police Department.
They said his vehicle flew up onto the curb and hit the children, before he drove over the median on Clarke Road and into oncoming traffic. He then turned on to Silver Star Road.
“There are people who saw what kind of car it was that took off after the car. I just happened to turn down the street and see what the child was in the road,” said a witness who was not identified.
Clark said he is focused on his daughter’s recovery.
“So I’m doing my best to do what doctors are asking me to do and be my daughter’s side right now,” Clark said. “I tell her I love her every day.”
There’s no indication how long the little girl will be in the hospital.
El Ouadi’s mother said her son usually doesn’t take that route to go home, but decided to that day so he could spend more time with his friend.
Howard was required to provide a blood sample to test for intoxication, but those results are unknown.
Channel 9’s Karla Ray went to Howard’s home to get his side of the story, but no one would come to the door.
Police said he knew the children were hit and injured.
“He knew. He acknowledges he knew,” Bryant said. “Whether it was a situation accident he could prevent, or something negligent; that's what we need to prove going one way or the other.”
Aubrey was wearing a helmet and Clark said he believed the injury would have been much worse had she not been.
Howard was allowed to go home as investigators continue building a case against him.
His driving record includes failure to stop at a stop sign and running red lights, and a criminal history from the 1990s.
WFTV
