Elberta police: Driver goes around school bus, hits child and flees
Katherine Rolek is charged with felony leaving the scene of an accident after police said she hit a young girl with her SUV and kept going. Rolek was arrested a short time later at her place of business.
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ELBERTA, Alabama (WALA) — An Elberta woman is charged with felony leaving the scene of an accident after police said she hit a young girl with her SUV Monday morning and kept going. Katherine Rolek was arrested a short time later at her place of business.
It was a parent’s worst nightmare. Police said the eight-year-old girl, going to board her school bus was hit by a passing car. Police and emergency crews rushed to the scene on Krehling Road.
A neighbor who witnessed the response shared video and some pictures they captured at the scene with FOX10 News. Others couldn’t believe what had happened.
“Where I was parked at, Life-Flight had landed behind me and watching her get put on Life-Flight, pass my vehicle on a gurney…it broke my heart,” said Mary-Ellen Krause.
Elberta police said the child was flown to the hospital with life threatening injuries. The driver of the car who hit her never stopped.
“I’m sorry. If these children heard it, she heard it and felt it and you just kept going, I mean you hit a squirrel, you know. You know and you look,” said neighbor and mother, Monisha Rolin.
Rolin’s son was waiting to get on the bus this morning when she said he witnesses some of the accident. She heard yelling and turned to see what had happened.
“I kind of walked out on the porch and I heard the kid say, ‘Go tell your mom,’ and I’m like, what’s going on and all I can get is bus hit car and that’s all I really heard so I as assuming that maybe the bus driver got rear ended or something and then, Kyson proceeds to tell me that the little girl was gotten, had gotten hit and was just laying there and the car had kept going,” Rolin recalled.
Even as the victim was being treated at the scene, Elberta police began piecing together evidence and soon had a vehicle description and name. Investigators say with the help of the Foley Police Department, they located the vehicle at the suspect’s place of business in Foley and arrested Rolek.
While neighbors of the victim want to see justice for what happened, their focus right now is on praying for the victim’s speedy recovery.
“Prayers are with that little girl and the family. If they need anything, I’m right here, two houses down. Please let us know. I’m here to help…whatever. I’m standing at the bus stop from now on with these children, so I’ll be out here watching,” said Rolin.
Baldwin County Schools superintendent, Eddie Tyler sent out a letter Monday to parents in the Elberta feeder pattern. In that letter, he said the child’s injuries are non-life-threatening and said the driver who hit the student had passed the school bus STOP sign when the accident happened. Elberta Police will be charging Katherine Rolek with felony leaving the scene of an accident.
UPDATE: Elberta police tell FOX10 News that the young girl who was hit by a driver while waiting for the school bus Monday morning was released from the hospital. We’re told she suffered broken bones and a concussion and is expected to recover.
Katherine Rolek, the woman accused of hitting the girl, was booked into jail Tuesday morning, March 19. She was given a pre-made bond of $31,000 in total for the 3 charges including first-degree assault, leaving the scene of an accident and reckless endangerment.
Rolek is expected to have a formal bond hearing on Wednesday.
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