Apex community 'struggling' after child on scooter dies after being hit by driver

APEX, N.C. (WTVD) -- Apex Police said Monday that a juvenile riding a scooter died after a collision with an SUV.

It happened just after 1 p.m. in the 1900 block of Woodall Crest Drive at Metta Mill Lane.

The child was taken to a Durham County medical facility but died from injuries sustained in the crash.

No one else was injured.

A representative of the Home Owner's Association where the crash happened said the child was a boy around 9 or 10 years old.

Chris Chandler said that just hours before the tragedy, the boy killed was at his house with a group of children drawing pictures as a token of thanks for first responders.

He said his daughter was friends with the boy killed, and was present in the aftermath of the crash.

"She's struggling, along with all the kids," he said. "Even the ones who weren't out here when it happened, who heard about it. They're struggling. All the parents are struggling. We're a small, tight-knit community."

Police are still investigating the cause of the crash and the Apex Police Traffic Safety Unit is conducting a crash reconstruction as part of the investigation.

One wheel was missing from the scooter, which appeared to be a hybrid of a scooter and a bicycle, and a black Mercedes SUV was parked in the street as part of the investigation.

The SUV sustained damage to the front passenger side.

Police towed away the Mercedes and cleared the scene about 5:30 p.m. The incident remains under investigation.

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In the wake of the tragedy, homeowners in Woodall Estates are calling for better speed controls in their community. Chandler's wife runs the HOA, and he said the town should add speed bumps and reduce speed limits.

"We've asked for speed bumps to slow people down, we've asked for a reduction in speed, as you can see as you walk around -- 25 (mph) right there, and our little side street and the next one is 25 (mph). And it's way too fast," Chandler said.

Chandler said the community voiced concerns about speed to the town long before the tragedy took place.

"We raised awareness beforehand, it's even sadder now," he said. "We'll be at the next board meeting at Apex, we're gonna bring it up again. We're gonna tell them. Enough is enough. We told you ahead of time, it's safety."

ABC11 reached out to Town Council about the community's concerns but has not heard back as of Monday night.

Apex Mayor Jacques Gilbert paid a visit to the community after the crash, speaking with concerned residents. Chandler said he appreciated the Mayor's presence, and that the community plans to show up in force at the next Town Council meeting on June 13.

Police would not say whether charges would be filed.