7/2/15
By Rob Moore

HelenPD_patch
HELEN – Helen police say they aren’t sure the driver who struck an 8-year-old and left the scene Thursday afternoon realized the incident occurred.

The incident was reported around 2 p.m. near Cool River Tubing on Edelweiss Strasse.

“The child darted out between two vehicles that were stopped facing southbound on Edelweiss,” Police Chief Jim Couch said. “The driver swerved to miss the child, and spoke with the child briefly and the officer doesn’t believe the driver knew it struck the child.”

Couch said the vehicle involved was a light blue or silver Dodge 1500 with a Tennessee license plate and it left the scene headed north on Edelweiss Strasse.

“The child was not in a crosswalk and the parent admitted it was the child’s fault,” Couch said.

Couch said the child’s injured appeared to be similar to rug burn.=