East Texas

By MALENA OGLES
Staff Writer

JACKSONVILLE -- An 11-year-old girl was killed Monday evening after being struck by a car while walking home from a friend's house.

The girl was walking back to her parent's house at around 7:30 p.m. on Farm-to-Market Road 747 when she crossed the roadway and was struck by a gold Pontiac Grand Prix, according to a preliminary report by Texas Department of Public Safety trooper Tyson Metzig,

Cheyenne Stevenson of Jacksonville was transported by ambulance to East Texas Medical Center in Jacksonville where she was pronounced dead.

"The driver came over the crest of a hill and the girl was in the roadway," Metzig said.

According to the report, the 17-year-old driver attempted to swerve and miss the girl but struck her and ran off the roadway. He then over corrected to the left and ran the car into a ditch on the east side of the roadway.

Metzig said the driver did not appear to have been drinking or impaired.

"It's a low light area and she was crossing the road at night. When he saw her it was too late," Metzig said.

Metzig said DPS will complete their investigation and turn their findings over to the district attorney's office.

Stevenson was not conscious when paramedics arrived and the 17-year-old driver did not sustain any injuries.

"This appears to be an accident," he said.