Two girls in Methuen, Massachusetts, were struck by a vehicle near a bus stop Wednesday morning.
An 11-year-old girl was taken to Lawrence General Hospital with life-threatening head injuries. She was subsequently taken by medical helicopter to Tufts Medical Center and is listed in critical condition.
Another girl, a 13-year-old, was taken to Lawrence General Hospital and later transferred to Tufts Medical Center in Boston via ambulance. She suffered a possible femur fracture and is currently in stable condition.
The incident happened at the intersection of East and Channing streets at 7:27 a.m., according to police.
Methuen Police said preliminary investigation shows that a 2013 Dodge Ram Truck driven by Michael Russell, 65, of Methuen, was headed east on East Street when his vehicle struck two female Methuen students who were crossing the street.
The names of the two girls are not being released by police because they are juveniles. Both girls are students at the Timony Grammar School in Methuen.
Karen Mandieta says she witnessed the aftermath of the accident. She says the intersection is a danger for students heading to school.
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"It's always been a problem at the top of the street. They've gone to meetings, they've had meetings trying to get crossing guards up there and it hasn't happened," Mandieta said.
Police said glare from the sun appears to have contributed to the crash.
"The solar glare from the sun was definitely a main contributor in the crash. The two girls stepped off of the curb and begin to walk across the street. They were struck by a white Dodge pick up truck," Captain Randy Hagger of Methuen Police told NECN.
The accident remains under investigation by Methuen Police and Massachusetts State Police.
