Editor’s note: This story was updated at 6 p.m. The gender of the suspect in the original version was incorrect.
SCHENECTADY — A city driver jumped a curb and struck a high school student Monday in Mont Pleasant, then fled the scene before being arrested about two hours later, police said.
The student suffered minor injuries, police said. Some students at nearby Pleasant Valley Elementary School witnessed the crash, district officials said.
Police arrested Rawtee Kampta Persaud, 39, of Michigan Avenue, at her residence and charged her with misdemeanor leaving the scene of the crash, police said.
The incident happened just after 8 a.m. at the corner of Forest Road and Oakwood Avenue when Persaud made a U-turn, jumped the curb in her vehicle and struck the student in the arm, police spokesman Officer Timothy Rizzo said.
Pleasant Valley parent Isaiah Teeling witnessed the crash after walking his daughter to school. His daughter, a kindergartner, was already at the school and the father on his way home when the crash happened, he recalled.
He estimated the SUV went in the direction of a group of four to five people, including two he thought might be a mother and daughter.
Teeling said he heard the sound of screeching tires and turned to see the SUV going up onto the sidewalk. He said the apparent daughter appeared to go onto the SUV’s hood before sliding off.
The SUV also scraped a tree, knocked over a sign pole and hit a fence before driving off, the parent said.
He said he sees the same SUV at the school every morning and afternoon, apparently dropping off a student.
“I think it’s crazy someone can drop a kid off and then hit another kid and just drive off without any thoughts on the matter, without ever seeing if they’re OK,” Teeling said.
Despite what happened, the student struck got up and walked away, appearing to limp, Teeling said.
The school district sent a letter to Pleasant Valley parents noting the injury to the high school student, but that some of the elementary student witnessed the crash.
The letter also urged parents whose children wanted to talk about the incident to speak with their children about it. If the child wanted to talk further, the school could help.
The alleged hit-and-run was the second in the city Monday morning.
Hours earlier on State Street, another driver struck and seriously injured a pedestrian. Police also quickly made an arrest in that case.
Categories: -News-, Schenectady County
