Grants Pass, Oregon– On March 16, 2024, tragedy struck in Grants Pass as a five-year-old girl lost her life in a parking lot accident. At approximately 11:24 a.m., the Grants Pass Police Dispatch received distressing calls reporting a child struck in the parking lot of a business located on Fruitdale Drive near Highway 238.
Grants Pass Police officers responded to the scene, accompanied by first responders from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office, American Medical Response, and Grants Pass Fire/Rescue. Upon arrival, they discovered a five-year-old female with serious injuries. Immediate emergency medical aid was administered, and the child was rushed to Three Rivers Medical Center by AMR. Tragically, despite all efforts, the young girl succumbed to her injuries. Out of respect for her age, the identity of the child has not been disclosed by the authorities.
Following the incident, Grants Pass Police Detectives, along with an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) pilot and a police crash reconstructionist, took charge of the investigation at the scene. Through collaboration with witnesses, it was determined that the vehicle involved in the accident was unoccupied at the time.
The owner of the vehicle, a 74-year-old man, had parked it and exited, only to realize it was rolling backward. Attempting to intervene, he struggled to stop the vehicle before it tragically collided with the young girl, eventually coming to a halt against another parked vehicle.
The owner of the vehicle has been fully cooperative with the ongoing investigation. Authorities have stated that alcohol and other controlled substances are not believed to be contributing factors to the accident at this time.
Despite the initial findings, the investigation remains ongoing. Authorities urge anyone with information regarding this incident to come forward and contact the Grants Pass Police at 541-450-6260.
If you want to help support those impacted from this tragic incident, here is a link to the families GoFundMe.
Please note, Medford Alert is not associated or affiliated with this GoFundMe.
Source: GPPD
