MINNEAPOLIS — An 11-year-old girl is in critical condition after being hit by a car right after she got off a school bus.
The crash happened Friday afternoon at the intersection of Penn Ave North and 23rd Ave North in Minneapolis. The driver of the car was arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence.
Johnnie Oppong says traffic is always heavy on Penn Avenue. She lives right at the very intersection in question.
"Everybody uses this street," Oppong said. "It's busy, very busy."
Oppong added that Friday afternoon was even busier. She also said she was brought to her window when she heard a noise.
"It wasn't like a loud bang or something like that but it caught my attention and I looked out and I saw this guy pick up--I don't know if it was a young girl," Oppong said.
Minneapolis Police spokesperson John Elder said the girl was getting off the school bus and crossing the road when a driver of another car hit her.
"The child is very badly injured, in fact, for a while we weren't sure if the child was going to make it last night," Elder said.
He added the driver of the car was taken into custody after officers suspected impairment.
Oppong said at the scene, the driver approached people in the area and expressed remorse.
"He was extremely upset, crying," Oppong said. "He was angry because the stop sign, that's what he said-- the stop sign was not put out."
Elder said witnesses told him the same, that the bus did not have a crossing arm or a stop sign out. He added that verifying that information will come from further investigation.
The driver involved is currently in jail but has not been officially charged. KARE 11 reached out to Monarch Bus Services for comment but did not hear back.