Boy, 9, hit by car near Siesta Key

SARASOTA -- A 9-year-old boy was seriously injured early Sunday when he darted into traffic on the bridge along Siesta Drive in Sarasota and was hit by a car, according to Sarasota police.

The accident happened about 12:30 a.m., and the investigation closed the bridge -- one of two routes to and from Siesta Key -- for several hours.

The boy and his mother were walking on the bridge when the accident happened, police said.

The boy was flown by helicopter to a hospital in St. Petersburg with serious injuries, according to a report.

This story was originally published July 5, 2015 at 7:20 AM with the headline "Boy, 9, hit by car near Siesta Key."