PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A 4-year-old is in critical condition, and four others were hospitalized after they were struck by a 19-year-old driver who jumped the curb during a block party in Northeast Philadelphia Friday night.
The crash happened just after 6 p.m. along the 4700 block of Marple Street in the Holmesburg section of the city.
Philadelphia police said a woman, a 6-year-old girl, a 5-year-old girl, a 4-year-old boy, and a 3-year-old girl were hit by a burgundy Chrysler 300. The 4-year-old boy is in critical condition. The other victims sustained minor injuries and are listed in stable condition.
Witness Shantee Pruitt, whose child was at the party, told NBC10 she saw the driver.
"He looked me in my face and kept going," she said. "He still had a piece of the flower pot going around the corner."
Another witness said the driver plowed straight into the crowd without stopping.
"That was no accident at all," the witness said. "He was parked, and he did a burnout, then zoomed up the street."
Investigators said the father of one child chased the driver and caught up with him on Shelmire Avenue. The two got into a fight before cops arrived and arrested the suspect, who was later identified as Zyier Williams. He faces aggravated assault by vehicle, accident involving death or serious bodily injury, careless and reckless driving, and five counts of simple assault.
According to court records, Williams has other traffic violations and an open gun case.
The Chrysler involved has been recovered and is being held. An investigation is underway.
A 4-year-old boy is in critical condition
A 4-year-old boy is in critical condition
