Girl, 12-years old, Fatally Hit in Rancho Cordova
June 14th ─ Police in Rancho Cordova are investigating a hit-and-run that left a 12-year old girl dead on Tuesday morning. The incident occurred around 6:45 a.m. near Coloma Road and El Manto Drive in Rancho Cordova, a suburb of Sacramento. The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office identified the 12-year old girl as Leah Callison, a 7th grader at Mitchell Middle School. Callison had been on her way to summer school at Cordova High School with another teenage student, a 12-year old boy. Callison was crossing the road when she was fatally struck by a gold Honda Accord, according to eyewitnesses. The boy was uninjured according to the boy’s grandparents. Police arrived on scene to find the girl being tended to by a resident of the area. The driver remained on scene until authorities arrived. The Honda Accord was spotted just up Coloma Road from where the accident took place, half parked on the sidewalk. The passenger’s side front window was shattered and the right headlight was damaged which scattered debris along to road. The driver was identified as an 18 or 19-year old female. Callison suffered severe injuries and was transported to a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries and died.
Eva Taylor, daughter of the resident who tended to Callison right after the accident, told reporters that her mother ran out and saw the vehicle and a young female driver, who was hysterical. Then she saw Callison lying there, and her mother tried to resuscitate the girl while Taylor called police.
Residents in the area were not surprised by the accident saying that this was the third or fourth traffic incident at that particular intersection this year. Ashley Rodriguez, a resident on Coloma Road, said she was hit at the same intersection 2 years ago when a car ran a red light, but was not seriously injured. Sheena Wright, resident along El Manto Drive, said they’ve had to sprint across the intersection to avoid being hit by negligent drivers and speeding cars.
“They speed up and down here. It’s a raceway for sure. They’re going to have to fix something at this intersection” said Joe Roberson, talking about Coloma Road.
In a statement released by the Folsom Cordova Unified School District, Jim Huber, principal at Mitchell Middle School, said of Callison, “this student was a wonderful young woman full of energy and promise. Our school community is diminished by her loss, and we all share in our grief”. Adding that, “Counselors will be at Cordova High School to assist summer school students and staff, and W.E. Mitchell Middle School will also have counselors available when we return from summer break for anyone needing additional support. In the meantime, please talk to your child about any difficult emotions they may be feeling or any additional support they may need”.
Edward Callison, father of the victim, told reporters on Wednesday, “I want my daughter back. It’s a pain and loss no parent should ever have to suffer. Come stand in my shoes, I lost my only child”. Callison’s father believes his daughter was killed because the driver sped thru a red light.
“Because of red lights that people can’t wait 5 seconds to change over, they want to take an innocent life that hadn’t done anything wrong to anybody ever in her life,” Callison said. Rancho Cordova police are still investigating the official cause of the accident. No information has been released as to the identity of the young driver or if alcohol or drugs played a factor in the accident.
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Reviewed by Chris H. in 2012.