Valerie Ortiz, 8, still gets emotional when she thinks about what unfolded on Mother’s Day afternoon.
Video shows the moment she and her friend were almost hit by a speeding car while playing in her front yard at the corner of Marys Avenue and Hill Street in Bay Point.
“My grandpa’s truck was in front of me, so I ducked down so he wouldn’t see me but then he just went really fast and just ran into my driveway,” said Ortiz.
Her mother, Mitzary Guzman, watched everything unfold.
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“Yeah, she just shared that so many thoughts crossed through her mind she said, ‘I didn't know if I was going to get kidnapped. I felt like I almost died,’” said Guzman. “Everything happened so fast and you just feel so, you just feel powerless, because you can’t get to the kids fast enough.”
No one was hurt but the driver hit Guzman’s car and took off.
Guzman said this isn’t the first time something like this has happened and this incident proves it’s time for change.
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“I really hope that we are able to get a speed bump there,” she said. “We have requested this before and I just really feel like it’s necessary.”
She wasn’t able to get the vehicle’s license plate number but she has reached out to police and the city.
Meanwhile, her daughter is still trying to recover, emotionally.
“My daughter explains that she doesn’t feel safe at home anymore. She doesn’t feel safe to play in our front yard. And it’s extremely sad, you know?” said Guzman.
