Philadelphia, PA (August 20, 2026) – A 9-year-old girl was seriously hurt Tuesday evening, August 18, after a vehicle struck her and drove off on Germantown Avenue near Westmoreland Street in the city’s Tioga neighborhood.
Police say the girl was standing near a corner with her younger brother, older sister, and friends around 8:30 p.m. when a vehicle traveling northbound swerved before hitting her and a nearby pole, then continued away without stopping.
She was taken to the hospital with a broken leg and bleeding near her kidneys. As of Wednesday, she remained in stable condition as she continues to recover.
Her mother returned to the corner Wednesday after leaving the hospital, describing how the force of the strike sent her daughter from the sidewalk into the middle of the street.
Authorities continue to investigate the accident.
We hope the young girl recovers fully and swiftly.
What Happens When a Driver Flees After a Pedestrian Crash in Philadelphia, PA?
Under Pennsylvania law, a driver involved in a crash that causes injury must stop, provide identification, and render aid. Leaving the scene is a separate criminal offense that can result in felony charges, license suspension, and jail time on top of any penalties tied to the original crash.
This applies on any Philadelphia street, since it has smaller residential blocks where pedestrians and children are frequently present. Pedestrian-involved hit-and-runs remain a persistent problem in the city, and police typically rely on nearby cameras and canvassing to identify a fleeing vehicle.
Pedestrians struck by a vehicle commonly face broken bones, internal injuries, and head trauma, and recovery can stretch across weeks or months of medical care and physical therapy.
Children in particular may need ongoing monitoring for injuries that aren’t immediately obvious, and missed school or routine disruption usually follows alongside the physical recovery. When the driver is never identified, families are frequently left without clear answers about how to cover mounting medical costs.
When a driver cannot be found, a pedestrian accident lawyer in Philadelphia can help explore other paths to compensation, including a claim through the injured person’s own uninsured motorist coverage.
An attorney can also assist by gathering surveillance footage, canvassing for witnesses, and preserving physical evidence before it disappears, work that can run parallel to the police investigation rather than replace it.
Families dealing with a hit-and-run tend to have a lot of uncertainty when it comes to what step to take next. At Rand Spear The Accident Lawyer, we can go over what options may be available under each family’s insurance policy.
To talk through what happened, you can reach Rand Spear The Accident Lawyer at 1-800-905-3425. Our team can help clarify what to expect going forward.
Note: Our team of writers relies on various secondary sources to create this post, including local and state media outlets, police incident reports, social media platforms, and eyewitness accounts of serious accidents in Pennsylvania. If you notice any inaccuracies, please contact Rand Spear, The Accident Lawyer, immediately so we can correct the information and ensure the post reflects the most accurate details. Posts can also be removed upon request.
Disclaimer: The photos used in this post were not taken at this accident scene. All information in this post is informational and is not intended to be considered legal or medical advice. This post is not a solicitation for business.
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