5-Year-Old Child Dies After Falling From Scooter and Is Hit by Car

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Evelyn Ortiz-Luevano was charged with negligent homicide and child neglect in the death of her 5-year-old boy while riding a scooter on April 23.

The deceased child, Caiden Reyes-Ortiz, was hit by Renier Davison, who fled the scene and turned himself in on Wednesday, admitting that he had been driving the Honda that fatally hit the boy. He was charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident and causing an accident without a valid driver’s license, as well as driving with a suspended license, reported Fox 23.

As stated on court documents, Ortiz-Luevano “crossed both lanes and recklessly rode the scooter into oncoming traffic, and in an attempt to veer out of the path of the vehicle, caused her son to fall from the scooter and then to be hit by that vehicle, causing his death.”

A Tulsa police officer stated in the affidavit that Evelyn Ortiz-Luevano broke several traffic laws as she was riding the scooter with her son on board, NewsOn6 reported.

“She crossed both lanes and recklessly rode the scooter into on-coming traffic, and in an attempt to veer out of the path of a vehicle, caused her son to fall from the scooter and then to be hit by that vehicle, causing his death.”

Police said that Ortiz-Luevano and a friend both rented scooters and were going to a park.

According to NewsOn6, a witness said he saw the women going southbound in the northbound lanes of traffic. He heard more cars honking as they were irresponsibly driving against the traffic.

Another witness said Ortiz-Lurevano veered to avoid one of the upcoming vehicles, and that’s when Caiden fell off the scooter and the northbound car hit and killed him.

“The vehicle was coming towards them, so the mother could see the vehicle,” said Tulsa Police Officer Jeanne Pierce.

“There was a piece of the vehicle that was left on the scene so we had an idea of the color of the vehicle,” said Pierce.

The Police searched around the neighborhoods and apartment complex nearby until they saw the car.

“They had a witness say, ‘yes the owner of that vehicle lives in this apartment. We heard some banging earlier, we heard some crying earlier,” said Pierce.

The police didn’t find anyone in the apartment until Davidson turned himself in the next day.

“The thing for me is- just staying on the scene. We have done I don’t know how many interviews about hit-and-runs....we say every time stay on scene. Talk to the officer,” said Pierce.

Caiden’s family started a Gofundme page. Where it states: “Our Family is asking for your prayers and asking for any donations is greatly appreciated. In these hard times that nobody is ever ready for. He was always happy and smiling. He was always making everyone and anyone laugh. The funds are being collected for Funeral Services.”

Traffic Deaths

Traffic deaths fell 3.1 percent in the first six months of 2018, according to preliminary figures released in October 2018, Reuters reported.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that 2017 traffic deaths fell by 1.8 percent to 37,133 after traffic deaths rose sharply in the previous two years, according to final figures. The traffic fatality rate fell to 1.08 deaths per 100 million miles traveled for the first half of 2018.

The fatality rate in 2017 was 1.16 million deaths per 100 million miles traveled—the second highest rate since 2008. “This is good news and bad news,” said Deborah Hersman, CEO of the National Safety Council, told CNBC. “The total number of fatalities is not getting worse, but the situation is not getting better.”

Hersman cited distracted driving and higher speed limits for the number. “There are a number of states that have raised speed limits, some now have stretches at 80 or 85 miles per hour,” she said.

In Texas, for example, she estimated that traffic fatalities jumped 7 percent from 2015 to 2017, in part due to higher speed limits in the state.

“We know it’s happening even though distracted driving data is hard to come by,” she said of drivers using smartphones while behind the wheel.

“Police reports on accidents often don’t report if the driver was distracted and in many accidents, people don’t self-report themselves.”