RALEIGH COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A man and woman face charges after hitting a two-year-old child with a vehicle and leaving the scene.
According to Raleigh County deputies, on June 27, 2021, at around 12:30 pm, deputies were dispatched to Dublin Street about a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle. When deputies arrived on the scene, the grandmother stated that her granddaughter had been at her residence before the accident with other family members present in the backyard and inside the home. The grandmother said that the family was taking turns watching the two-year-old child.
Shortly before 12:30 pm, the two-year-old child wandered from the residence and wandered into the road. The accused, John Wicks, was parked in the driveway of Rhonda Hampton, who had been a passenger of a 2007 yellow PT Crusier with Wicks. After letting Hampton out of the vehicle, Wicks then backed up out of the driveway and backed over the two-year-old child.
After the incident, Hampton took the child next door with visible injuries and told the child’s family that the child had fallen down and gotten dirty. It was later discovered that the child had been struck by a vehicle due to the injuries sustained. There was a tire mark on the child’s torso.
During the investigation, Hampton first said the child had fallen and gotten hurt. When asked the name of the driver, Hampton refused to identify the defendant, John Wicks initially. It was also later discovered that Hampton told Wicks to leave the scene and that she would take care of it.
When deputies arrived to question Wicks, he excitedly uttered, “I didn’t mean to hurt the baby!”
The child suffered broken ribs, a bruised lung, and other injuries from the accident.
Wicks is charged with leaving the scene of an accident causing injury or death. Hampton is charged with accessory after the fact. Both suspects are in Southern Regional Jail under a 10,000 dollar bond each.
