A 15-year-old girl died early today after being struck by a vehicle last night in Milton.
The crash occurred about 9 p.m., the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office reported.
Kelsey Parrett and a friend were walking down 15th Avenue between Juniper and Hemlock streets when she was struck from behind by a GMC van.
The two were headed to a friend’s house at the time, Milton Police Chief Bill Rhoads said. He added that while there are no sidewalks on that stretch of road, the two girls were off to the side.
“There is plenty of room for a vehicle to get around,” Rhoads said.
The driver, according to a witness, continued on. He reportedly parked at his home and walked back to the scene. The man arrived just as a Milton police officer got to the crash, Rhoads said.
Parrett was taken to Madigan Army Medical Center. She died about 5:30 a.m. today, the Medical Examiner’s Office reported. Her friend was not injured.
Milton police arrested the suspected 47-year-old driver and his 48-year-old passenger in the crash. Both men were booked into Pierce County Jail shortly after 1 a.m. on vehicular assault and failure to remain at the scene of the crash, according to the online jail roster.
Investigators found the van at a home nearby, State Patrol spokeswoman Brandy Kessler said.
“There was evidence taken from the crash scene that linked the truck to the crime,” Kessler said.
Investigators were looking into whether alcohol was involved. The driver’s blood was drawn for testing, Kessler said.
The van was towed from the residence.
UPDATED INFORMATION:
Parrett, who turned 15 last Saturday, was a ninth grade student at Columbia Junior High School in Fife. She’d spent her entire educational years in the Fife School District, said Jeff Short, deputy superintendent.
Short described Parrett as a bright, pleasant, hard-working young woman. She was a good student and had many friends. Parrett worked on productions for the drama department, Short said.
A crisis team is at Columbia Junior High School today to help students deal with Parrett’s death. The library and individual classrooms have been set aside for counseling sessions.
Students have started writing notes on blank poster sheets in the cafeteria, Short said. The notes will be given to Parrett’s family.
Parrett was a member of Faith Family Church’s Nexus Youth Church, secretary Sandy Barber said.
“She was a very special girl and she’ll be greatly missed,” Barber said. “Her family and friends are in our prayers.”
There will be a candlelight vigil at 8 p.m. today for Parrett. The vigil will take place at the scene of the crash.
My heart goes out to the family, I condemn drunk driving BUT I have to point out the Milton is painfully lacking in sidewalks. I moved away from Milton because of this, I felt very unsafe walking on the streets of the city. Whether this played a role in this horrible accident I don’t know but when I saw this headline, sidewalk-less Milton came to my mind immediately.
I am a mother of 2 teenage boys and live on the corner where the accident happend last night. I have said over and over since the day I moved in back in July they need to post an officer on that corner to catch speeders and stop sign runner.
It doesn’t matter that the men had been drinking the point is the speed limit is 25 mph on that street and no one follows the speeding law or comes to a complete stop there.
If the city posted an officer in my driveway they would be amazed at how many locals in that area do not fallow the law.
I have gone through this a year ago and I am lucky my son didn’t pass. His accident happend in a parking lot and they let the gentlman go with no charges.
I hope they put them away for good. And the city does something with that intersection and street ASAP. My kids walk and ride there bikes on that street they need to be protected along with all the other people that walk that street.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.
Kelsey was one of my daughters best friends. My thoughts and prayers go out to Kelsey’s family. She was a wonderful young lady and she will be missed. If it is proven that alcohol was involved, there’s no guarantee that a sidewalk would have prevented this tragedy. I do agree that Milton does need more sidewalks and better lighting.
Very sad. My heart goes out to the family. I live just down the street and walk and bike the area all the time. There is very poor planning for roads in our area for pedestrians. Recently Enchanted Way was widened and improved and there are still no sidewalks built even though traffic is heavy and travels at high speeds. Our road planners always try to cut corners at the expense of safety.
I’ve known the family since she was little. My heart goes out to them. May they find peace in God’s love in this time of need
Sidewalks or no sidewalks, just the fact that these 2 took off and hid the vehicle, then returned to see the crime scene, makes me sick. Better punish them severly.
In America cars are more valuable then a 15 year old girl’s life.
In the Gulf of Mexico we’re going to see more of that disordered
thinking.
I hope these guys dont have children.The choices they made took a wonderful loveing teen out of my life.Kelsy has been a member of my “family” since birth.Amy,her mom,has been a true friend to my eldest daughter and I have been involved in her life since grade school.The pain and misery that has been thrust on our family by these two idiots will never go away.The only thing I look forward to is that these guys