Olmert's motorcade runs over 10-year-old girl
Prime minister's convoy traveling near Jerusalem continues driving after light changes to red, hits girl crossing street. Paramedics say girl lightly wounded. Olmert, informed later about accident – expressed his condolences
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's motorcade ran over a 10-year-old girl crossing the street near the entrance to Jerusalem on Thursday evening.
The girl was lightly wounded and evacuated to the Hadassah Ein Karem hospital for treatment. Olmert's office expressed their sorrow over the incident and wished the girl a speedy recovery.
An initial probe into the incident conducted by the police indicates that the convoy was driving with its lights and sirens on. The traffic light changed to red as the motorcade was still making its way across while the girl began crossing the street after the crosswalk light turned green.
The motorcade car that hit the girl (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
The car accompanying the motorcade which hit the girl remained at the scene while the rest of the convoy continued. The investigation into the incident will continue.
Avraham Scheinberger, a ZAKA volunteer who was driving nearby said he noticed people assembled on the street and approached the crowd with his motorcycle. "There were a lot of motorcade cars there. I came up close with my motorcycle and began treating to the girl, who had been hit by a motorcade jeep.
"The girl sustained a blow to her head after being thrown more than six feet. She was crossing the street at a crosswalk with her sister after the light turned green. The girl was fully conscious and calling for her father. We set her neck and a minute later an ambulance arrived and took her to a hospital for treatment."
Olmert's office said the prime minister was only informed of the incident sometime later, the car that
struck the girl had been traveling behind his. The prime minister's personal paramedic was said to be in the car that hit the girl and he immediately began administering aid until the emergency medical services arrived.
Later in the evening Olmert spoke with the girl's doctor and said he was relieved to learn from him that no damage was caused to any internal organs and that the girl would soon be released from the hospital.
Ahiya Raved and Ronny Sofer contributed to this report
