A 14-year-old girl was seriously injured when a car struck her as she volunteered at a Dix Hills charity race that is named for a boy who died in a 2004 car accident, police said.
The teen, who was not identified by police, was volunteering at the annual Alec’s Run Race on Saturday morning when she was hit by a Jeep driven by Deborah Dobrzynski on Old Country Road near Darby Drive, Suffolk police said.
The girl suffered head injuries that are not considered life-threatening and was transferred to Stony Brook University Medical Center, Dix Hills Fire Department officials said. She was expected to be released from the hospital by the end of the day Sunday, Dix Hills Second Assistant Chief Robert Fling said.
Dobrzynski, 41, of Huntington, was charged with failure to use due care, a citation that is a noncriminal offense.
Fling said Dobrzynski was attempting to get around traffic barricades that were set up to protect the racing area when the accident occurred.
“”She was going around those barricades. This girl just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time,”” Fling said. “”A frightening thing to see, all because someone didn’t want to wait a few minutes.””
Attempts to reach Dobrzynski were not successful.
Alec’s Run Race is named for Alec Nelson, a 16-month-old boy who died in 2004 after he was accidentally backed over by his grandfather in the driveway of his family’s Dix Hillshome. The race raises money for groups such as Kids And Cars, which advocates to make cars safer for children.
The 4-mile street race is held annually at Half Hollow Hills High School West, fire department officials said.