Truck hits three girls in Bradenton and one airlifted from scene, officials say

Three girls were seriously injured when a truck hit them in Bradenton on Thursday afternoon, Florida Highway Patrol said.

Medical helicopter transport was requested, and at least one child was airlifted from the scene, FHP Trooper Kenneth Watson told the Bradenton Herald.

The crash was reported at 4:30 p.m. in the 3300 block of 15th Street East, just south of 33rd Avenue East.

A Ford F-150 was headed north on 15th Street East, approaching the intersection, Watson said in a news release Thursday evening.

Girls aged 9, 11, and 15 were running east across 15th Street East from the driveway of Samoset Car Wash, Watson said. They ran across the southbound lane, and into the northbound lane and the path of the truck.

The driver tried to avoid them and turned, the release said, but the front of the vehicle hit all three girls in the intersection.

The truck went off the road, onto the shoulder and hit a mailbox.

The girls were transported to All Children’s Hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.

The crash caused a roadblock and traffic slow downs in the area, but the roadway was clear just before 6 p.m.

FHP continues to investigate this traffic crash.

This story was originally published November 3, 2022 at 6:20 PM.