10-year-old girl in hospital after hit by car in South Elgin

A 10-year-old girl from South Elgin was injured after she was hit by a car Wednesday, her mother and police said.

Veronica Fernandez said her daughter, Sofia, suffered a concussion and a broken leg and was being treated at St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates.

The accident happened about 4:55 p.m. as Sofia was heading east down the hill on State Street, crossed the southbound lane of Route 31 and was hit by a car headed north, Police Deputy Chief Mike Doty said. It appears the brakes on the girl's bike weren't working, Doty said.

Both lanes of traffic on Route 31 had a green light, he said.

"Several independent witnesses have indicated that the girl did not stop and basically came through the intersection not stopping," he said.

The driver of the car, a woman from South Elgin, was not issued a citation. The driver called 911, Doty said. The accident happened in front of the downtown fire station, whose ambulance pulled out to assist the girl, he said.

Fernandez, an employee of the Daily Herald, said she was upset she didn't get a call from police or paramedics. She found out about the accident from her neighbor, whose daughter was part of a group of children riding bikes with Sofia, she said. The neighbor got a call from her daughter and went to the scene, Fernandez said.

Doty said police were there when the neighbor called Fernandez and told her the girl was alert and conscious, and being taken to the hospital.

"Those words she got (from the neighbor) were directly from a patrol supervisor," he said.

After the accident, police determined the brakes on Sofia's bike were not working, Doty said.

"The officer was removing the bike and actually put their hands on the brake to see if it was working, and the wheel was turning and not stopping," he said.

Fernandez questioned that and the dynamic of the accident, saying she wants to view any camera footage.

"I'm very upset," she said.

Sofia was not wearing a helmet, Doty also said.

"We'd like to remind parents to make sure they check the safety equipment on their children's bikes and make sure they are wearing bicycle helmets," he said. "And remind them that they have to follow the rules of the road, just like drivers do."