Woman hit by car on First Avenue East

UPDATE: A young woman was hurt when she was hit by a car Friday during heavy mid-day traffic on First Avenue East.

The woman, whose name was not immediately released, was knocked to the ground by a westbound car just west of 29th Street around 12:05 p.m. Witnesses told police she was crossing through traffic in the middle of the block from Walgreens.

The driver of the car, 78-year-old Harlan Newkirk, of Huntley, Ill., told The Gazette he did not see the girl until her upper body hit his windshield. The impact knocked off a side mirror and crunched part of his windshield.

“All of the sudden, all I saw was this young lady with her head and part of her arm hitting the windshield,” Newkirk said.

Newkirk  said he stopped immediately, and the woman was lying by his door when he got out. He said he did not notice how serious her injuries were, or if she was conscious. One of the woman's friends was screaming, and Newkirk asked her to call 911 if she had a phone.

Medics rushed to the woman, who was still lying in the street. Police said she was taken to a local hospital with unknown injuries.

Newkirk, who was on his way to visit relatives in the Amana Colonies, said he was not going any faster than 10 mph when his car hit the woman.

“It's a real tragedy,” Newkirk. “I just hope she's OK.”

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