Girl riding bike on West Main sidewalk struck by car pulling from driveway

UPDATED 5 p.m.:

A 13-year-old girl was taken to Strong Memorial Hospital by Mercy Flight this afternoon after she was struck by a car while riding her bike on a sidewalk on West Main Street, Batavia.

The girl, Emily Sherman, is at strong in stable condition. 

Her injuries are not believed to be life threatening, according to Lt. Eugene Jankowski, Batavia PD.

"(Mercy Flight) was more of a precaution, because we don't know," Jankowski said. "In things like this you can always have more serious internal injuries."

Jankowski described the Emily's apparent injuries as cuts and abrasions.

"She was conscious and alert," Jankowski said. "She was complaining, which I think is a good thing."

Emily and a friend -- believed to be students at St. Joe's -- were riding on the sidewalk eastbound when a car attempted to pull from the Denny's parking lot, making a right-hand turn onto Main.

The driver, Erin George, 23, apparently saw the first child go by and thought the coast was clear, but the second child was just coming by and obscured by a door pillar of the sedan.

Jankowski said George stopped as quickly as she could, but did drag the girl under her car into the street.

City of Batavia Fire arrived on scene and used air bags to lift the car and safely extricate Emily.

She was then taken by a Mercy EMS ambulance to a field off River Street on the opposite side of the Tonawanda Creek.

George was obviously distraught following the accident. Jankowski said she would be taken to the police station for a witness statement then helped home.

"I don't think she's in any condition to drive," Jankowski said.

The mother of both girls showed up at the scene as did the principal of St. Joe's and Batavia City Council President Marianne Clattenburg, who teaches at St. Joe's.

Jankowski said parents need to remind their children of bicycle safety during the summer months. Bicycles should not ride on sidewalks, but on the roadway and with the flow of traffic, Jankowski said.

While it's not known whether the girl was wearing a helmet -- none was visible at the scene -- and there's no indication she suffered a head injury, Jankowski emphasized the importance of bicycle helmets.

"It could be an important factor in saving a life," Jankowski said. "I'm a big promoter of helmets. I wear one myself when I ride."

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