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Plano woman admits to driving off after hitting girl
At this point, Plano police have not named the suspect. A police spokesperson told FOX 4 that’s because a warrant for arrest hasn’t been issued yet.
PLANO, Texas - Plano police have identified the woman who was behind the wheel of a black SUV that drove off after hitting a girl on her way to school.
The driver has not yet been charged, but police say she has admitted to what she did.
Police say the driver who hit the young girl drove off and, instead of turning herself in, waited for police to track her down.
The Backstory: Earlier this month, a camera captured video of the SUV hitting the 12-year-old girl as she crossed Westridge Drive on her way to Wilson Middle School.
The video shows what appears to be a Buick Enclave hit the girl, back up and then drive away. The girl screams as she’s thrown several feet. She can be heard crying as she gets up and limps towards school.
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PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Police ask for help finding Plano hit-and-run driver
Home footage shows a car striking a 12-year-old girl, backing up, and leaving the scene. Plano police are asking for help identifying the driver.
Thankfully, her family told FOX 4 she was not seriously hurt. She made it to school that morning and then reported what happened to her school resource officer.
What We Know: Police said tips from the public and surveillance video helped investigators identify the driver.
"Upon that, we had a lot of neighbors calling us, a lot of tips," said Plano Police Officer Jennifer Chapman.
The officer says they were able to track down the woman. She was interviewed by detectives and admitted to being the driver.
"She didn’t know what to do," the officer said. "She panicked and… We understand that, but you cannot leave the scene."
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WATCH: Child hit by a car in Plano, driver leaves scene
A young child was hit by a black SUV in Plano on Westridge Drive and Wilson Drive around 8 a.m. Tuesday morning. Police are asking for help finding the driver.
What We Don’t Know: At this point, police have not named the suspect. Officer Chapman told FOX 4 that’s because a warrant for arrest hasn’t been issued yet.
Police said they are still building their case, and if there’s enough evidence for probable cause, a judge will issue the arrest warrant.
It’s unclear why the woman did not stop. It’s also unclear why the woman did not turn herself in instead of waiting for investigators to find her.
Officer Chapman didn’t speculate on what caused the woman to drive off, only emphasizing that the woman expressed deep regret for not remaining at the scene to ensure the the little girl was okay.
"Just feeling sorry that she did that, absolutely like deeply sorry," Chapman said. "She didn’t mean to do that. She realized she kept doing wrong things by leaving."
What Happens Next: Plano police say detectives said they are working with the Collin County District Attorney’s Office as the investigation continues.
It will be up to a judge to issue a warrant for the woman’s arrest.
Even though the girl wasn’t seriously hurt, the driver’s failure to stop and render aid will likely lead to a felony charge.