A 12-year-old boy was struck and killed by a semi Wednesday afternoon in an apparent hit-and-run in Whiting, Ind., according to authorities.
Police said two brothers were walking home from school when the 12-year-old boy attempted to cross a street near 119th Street and Indianapolis Boulevard.
Officials said his brother tried to stop him but the boy was hit by a semi, which authorities say did not stop.
"A car stopped in front of here right behind me and approached the young little boy and checked his pulse and when he checked his pulse the brother just broke down," said witness George Torres. "He just turned pale and couldn’t move."
The Lake County Coroner's office identified the boy as 12-year-old Angel Villafuerte, and said the cause of death was blunt force trauma from a motor vehicle accident.
According to Whiting Police Chief Stephen Miller, police managed to stop a flatbed semi a few miles from the scene and were inspecting the truck for evidence and questioning the driver.
"We got the description of the truck from the witnesses at the scene and squad officers from my department approximately three miles from here pulled over a vehicle matching that description," Miller said.
Miller said officials believe the driver did see the boy.
Indianapolis Boulevard was shut down Wednesday afternoon and Indiana State Police are investigating.
Local
Villafuerte's death was the second fatal hit-and-run in northwest Indiana this week. A 13-year-old boy was killed in a hit-and-run in Gary on Sunday.
Malik Herron, 13, and another boy, Robert Davis, were walking on the 4900 block of Vermont Street on Saturday evening when a large dark-colored vehicle left the roadway and struck them. Herron was later pronounced dead and Davis was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Officials said a vehicle that may have something to do with the crash has been located.
