Palm Bay elementary student struck in hit-and-run, police say

PALM BAY, Fla. – Two students were struck by vehicles in unrelated incidents near their school campuses in Palm Bay early Thursday and one of the incidents was a hit-and-run, police said.

The first incident happened around 7 a.m. at the entrance of Odyssey Charter School when a 5-year-old and his father were struck at a crosswalk. The victims suffered only minor injuries, Palm Bay police Lt. Mike Bandish told News 6 partner Florida Today.

The driver stayed at the scene.

Minutes later, a 12-year-old boy who was riding his bike to Discovery Elementary School was hit while crossing a street. The child suffered minor injuries.

The child was riding near Emerson Drive and Glencove Avenue. While he was crossing over Glencove at the crosswalk and going left to the next street, a gray Grand Cherokee made a left turn and hit him, police said.

"He went up on the hood of the car," Bandish said.

The driver, identified later by police as Christopher Harris, of Palm Bay, fled the scene, but was later arrested, police said.

"He knows that he hit that kid. They ought to take his license and put him in jail," said neighbor Richard Webster, whose surveillance cameras captured the collision.

Police said Harris did not have a driver's license.

The incidents come four months after 10-year-old Ander Grooms was struck and killed by a driver while riding his bike home from Odyssey Charter School and seven months after Heritage High School junior Jazmine Monari was fatally struck, also near Emerson and Glencove.

A memorial still stands at the spot of Monari's death.

"We don't want to go out and tell another mother that their son was hurt, or their daughter was hurt, on their way to school," said Bandish.

Palm Bay police said starting Monday, a crossing guard will be placed at the intersection, which is a half-mile from Discovery Elementary School.

Police said four other crossing guards will also start work elsewhere throughout the city on Monday.