SPRINGDALE — A 3-year-old boy hit by a car Friday was in fair condition Monday at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.
Joshua Camacho, of 1945A Wheatland Ave. in Springdale, was hit just before midnight when he ran out of McDonald’s and into the street, according to police records. He was struck by a 1991 Honda Accord driven by Maria E. Orta.
Camacho was taken to Northwest Medical Center-Springdale, which is across the street from the McDonald’s, 520 S. Thompson St. He was flown to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock with multiple injuries, including bleeding of the brain, laceration to the liver and a broken leg, according to a police news release.
Orta was arrested after the accident in connection with driving while intoxicated and careless and prohibited driving. Her blood alcohol test was 0.15, according to the release. The legal limit in Arkansas is 0.08.
Joshua was in McDonald’s with his family, according to the accident report. He ran outside while his mother, Nelly Hernandez, was busy getting other children ready to leave.
Several witnesses said a child ran across Thompson Street. Some cars stopped and started honking, but Orta, in the northbound inside lane, continued and hit Camacho, according to witnesses’ statements.
The child was knocked about 10 feet with the vehicle continuing about 100 feet before stopping, witnesses said. The abrupt braking also caused another accident, but no one was injured in that collision, police said.
Orta was released from the Springdale City Jail Saturday on $700 bond. The accident is still under investigation and further charges are pending, said Capt. Ron Hritz of the Springdale Police Department.