TACOMA, Wash. — A 12-year-old girl was hit by a vehicle after a suspect stole her mother’s SUV in Tacoma, police said.
On Wednesday at about 8:40 p.m., Tacoma detectives said a mother was driving with her daughter when she stopped at a house on South K Street.
Shortly after, a man jumped inside the vehicle and struck the young girl as he drove off, investigators said.
The 12-year-old was taken to a hospital after she suffered scrapes and bruises.
“Just shocked and unsettled,” said Debra Schlatter, a neighbor. “It’s a wakeup call to be more careful about letting the kids out in the neighborhood. We have a large backyard so that’s where they’ll probably be playing.”
Police later found the vehicle a few miles away on South Wright Avenue as the suspect tried to get away.
KIRO 7 News spoke with Ron Wochner, who woke up to find his backyard was part of a crime scene.
“Police over the loudspeaker saying, ‘Get out of the car. Get out of the car,’” he said.
The suspect tried to drive the stolen vehicle through Wochner’s backyard gate, he added, as the military veteran was sleeping inside.
“If the gate hadn’t been there, I’m glad they didn’t plow all the way up to my house,” he said.
Wochner said he’s grateful his home was not damaged, however, he’s upset that a little girl was injured.
“Pretty upset. It’ bad enough stealing someone’s car. That’s somebody’s livelihood. How they get to work, how they get to feed their families,” he shared.
The Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office told KIRO 7 News the suspect has not been identified as of Thursday.
The suspect was arrested for first-degree robbery, possession of stolen property, resisting, obstructing, hit and run and eluding.
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