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Portsmouth teen hit by police cruiser released from hospital

Posted at 2:09 PM, Oct 19, 2013
and last updated 2013-10-21 17:06:15-04

Portsmouth, Va. – A police car was traveling in the 2600 block of Portsmouth Boulevard shortly after 10:00 a.m. Saturday, when police say a 19-year-old woman stepped out in front of the vehicle, near the intersection of Arcadia Street.

“You could hear this screech, then there was a boom and then I just heard, literally something landed like a sack of potatoes,” said Shantela Richardson.

Richardson was inside her home when she heard the violent collision.

“When I came out, I saw her body just lying there on the ground,” said Richardson, “her skull , part of her hair and everything was still in his windshield.”

Richardson immediately went to the teen, her experience as a medical administrator kicking in.

“She was conscious but she had lacerations on the top of her head and on her neck, and  [it looked] as if her shoulder was maybe dislocated.  I wasn’t sure, but my main focus was just that she didn’t move her body,” said Richardson.

She stayed by the girl’s side until paramedics arrived.

Police say the woman was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.  She has since been released.

Meanwhile, Richardson says the officer who hit the teen was in shock.

“When I looked at him in his face it was like his feet were planted to the ground, like he couldn’t move at all.”

Police say the 19-year-old stepped into the street in the cruiser’s path.  A witness tells NewsChannel 3 she was chasing after a young child.

Police say this is still an active investigation.