KENNER, La. (WGNO) — A Bonnabel High School student is in critical condition after being hit by a car while on her way to school Tuesday morning.

Officers with the Kenner Police Department said a vehicle was driving east on Vintage Drive around 7:45 a.m. when the 16-year-old girl went to cross the street into oncoming traffic to get to the bus stop.

“This particular accident, it was not in a school zone, it was not in an area that was controlled by any school zones, regulations or laws. It was just a very unfortunate incident,” said Kenner police.

A witness described what he saw in the moments after the incident.

“When I walked outside, and I saw people running over there, I saw the child laying on the ground and people were already there trying to help her. It just broke my heart to see someone hit like that,” said Ted Berggren.

Ted’s wife Donna said she received so many texts from concerned family because they have granddaughters who go to school in the area.

Donna was a few cars behind, dropping off their grandchild at school when the student was hit.

“Our hearts just broke for the little girl for the parents for the lady who hit her. She was hysterical. She just kept crying saying ‘I didn’t see her. I didn’t see her’,” said Donna.

Officers say it’s unknown if the teen was looking down at the time she was crossing the street.

This is the second time in two months a student has been hit by a vehicle in Kenner. Back in September, a Kenner Discovery student was hit while riding a bike to school.

“I have complained several times about the speeders along here because we have two school busses that stop right here on our front lawn, and they just have no respect for the speed limit,” said Ted.

Investigators determined the driver was going 21 miles per hour, which is four miles under the speed limit.

“It’s a terrible mishap. We educate the students. We educate our drivers, but unfortunately incidents like this still happen,” said Kenner police.

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