Woman in wheelchair hit by 15-year-old driver in southwest Fresno

Fresno police are investigating a southwest Fresno crash in which a woman in a wheelchair was seriously injured by an underage driver Monday afternoon.

Neighbors at Amador Street and Plumas Avenue said they heard the vehicle hit the woman and ran outside. They said the woman, who is in her 60s, was bleeding from her eyes and had a bone protruding from her leg.

Fresno police Lt. Joe Gomez said she was rushed to Community Regional Medical Center and may not survive. Gomez said the woman was in very critical condition and in surgery as of 5 p.m. She sustained two broken legs, broken ribs and possible internal injuries. She was talking to first responders, however, which he believes was a good sign.

The driver, a 15-year-old boy, hit a tree after striking the woman. He apparently took his parents’ keys without their knowledge and went on a joyride through the neighborhood, Gomez said. He also was speeding.

The boy was originally believed to be intoxicated, but a sobriety test later showed he was sober. He will be given a misdemeanor citation for driving without a license. More charges could follow, pending the completion of the police investigation.

The woman was sitting in her wheelchair near a pile of discarded items on the east curb of Plumas when she was hit.

This story was originally published January 18, 2016 at 3:14 PM with the headline "Woman in wheelchair hit by 15-year-old driver in southwest Fresno."