12-year-old girl suffers major injuries after being hit by car

FREEDOM, Calif. (KION-TV)- A 12 year old Watsonville girl is in the hospital after she got hit by a car just outside of Watsonville on Monday morning.

CHP Santa Cruz said that officers responded to a crash on Buena Vista Drive at Miller Avenue around 6:58 am. Officers said that the 12 year old girl was in a crosswalk to walk across Buena Vista Drive at Miller Avenue when she was struck by a 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer which was traveling westbound on Buena Vista Drive.

The driver of the Trailblazer, 40-year-old Maria Tapia Lara of Freedom was identified as the driver. She did stay at the scene until officers arrived.

The 12-year-old girl suffered major injuries and was taken to Valley Medical Center in San Jose for treatment.

Officers are still investigating the cause of the crash. Alcohol and drugs were not to believed to be factors in the crash.