PITTSBURGH — Stop signs along Wilson Avenue in Perry South were put up several years ago after residents asked the City of Pittsburgh for them. The intent was to get people to slow down and make the street safer.
On Saturday morning, a 12-year-old boy riding his bike was hit by a car, and now his family is pushing for more safety measures so that it never happens again.
12-year-old Andrew Russell and his mom, Rhonda, are thankful the 6th grader survived being hit by a car along Wilson Avenue Saturday morning.
“I looked both ways and I didn’t see any cars,” Andrew said. “So, I went down and by the time I got there I locked eyes with a car, so I said to myself ‘I’m about to get hit.’”
The terrifying moments were captured by Russell’s surveillance cameras.
“When I got hit, I flew on top of the hood and by the time I hit the ground, I passed out and I woke back up and I tried to put my head up,” Andrew said.
“I heard a loud bang and I immediately rushed outside where I found my 12-year-old son laid out on the ground from being struck by a vehicle,” Rhonda said.
Russell and her daughter Ricci ran to help him.
“I seen my brother laying face down on the ground and the bike was on his legs, so I kept asking him, ‘can you feel your legs, can you feel your legs,’” Ricci said.
The driver stayed at the scene while the family called 911.
“He did apologize and express that he didn’t see him come out,” Rhonda said.
Andrew was taken by ambulance to Children’s Hospital for treatment.
“He has some bruising, some soreness and a mild concussion but overall, he’s still living and breathing which I’m grateful for that,” Rhonda said.
Rhonda says she knows things could’ve been worse - and is now pushing for beefed-up safety measures like having speed bumps installed along with signage to slow down because of children playing.
“I don’t want anyone else’s parent or child to have to experience what me and my son had to experience,” Rhonda said.
She’s already reached out to the Mayor’s office about her request.
“I just want people to be more cautious in residential areas to slow down, to pay attention, watching out for small kids that play and just be mindful of the speed limit,” she said.
“I hope we get some speed bumps and at nighttime, get some lights on the stop signs,” Andrew said.
Andrew is slated to find out more about his road to recovery as he has a follow-up appointment on Tuesday.
WPXI reached out to Pittsburgh Police to see if any charges will be filed against the driver, and we’re still waiting to find out.
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