5-year-old Colorado boy hit by SUV while crossing crosswalk at Westminster school, parents call for safety changes
A 5-year-old boy and his mother were hit by an SUV while crossing a crosswalk at the Academy of Charter Schools in Westminster in March. The boy's parents are calling for safety changes to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else.
It happened at the corner of Tejon Street and Park Centre Drive, which is the intersection at the exit of the school's morning carpool lane.
Laura Franseen and her son were crossing Park Centre Drive at 7:45 a.m. on March 14 when a woman coming out of the carpool lane turned left and hit them. The woman was driving a Toyota 4-Runner.
Franseen says that horrific morning is forever imprinted in her mind.
"I reached back for him, I said, 'hey buddy catch up,' which is the last thing he remembers, because at that point I could hear her engine revving toward us, she was just making a left-hand turn, coming straight for us, the grill was in my face, and just (thinking), 'oh my god she doesn't see us,'" Franseen recalls. "That's the last thing I remember, and I was knocked out, and I was thrown, and he was wedged underneath her tire unconscious, when I came to, and I crawled to him... I don't know who or what got the car off of him, but then I had him in my arms and I was just rocking him back and forth."
She had a broken ankle and a gash in the back of her head that needed nine staples, but her little boy's injuries were far worse. Since the incident, he's had facial reconstructive surgeries, skin grafts on his face and shoulder, and has undergone lots of physical and psychological therapy.
"His upper lip on the inside detached, his lower lip detached, his two front teeth were pushed back so forcefully that his roots popped forward," Franseen said.
Franseen asked us not to use her son's name is this story to protect his privacy.
Laura and her husband Steve Franseen worry their little boy's scars will cause him to be treated differently by others.
"There's reminders multiple times every day of that day in March," Steve Franseen said.
They say at the time of the crash, there weren't sufficient safety measures in place to protect pedestrians at the crosswalk, like a cross guard or sufficient signage alerting drivers to the crosswalk.
They say the school has since put out foldable signs telling pedestrians to use a supervised crosswalk, but they feel much more should be done.
They feel that the city should install a traffic light, or the school should put crossing guards at this intersection during carpool, the way there are guards at another crosswalk further down the street. They also say the school could implement a no left turn policy during carpool.
"Nothing has changed, except for signage to please used manned crosswalks, and it feels like a slap in the face," Laura Franseen said.
The driver, Wendy Eftink, told police the "sun was in her eyes," according to police reports. She pleaded guilty to careless driving resulting in an injury, and was sentenced to 12 months probation.
The couple say their primary focus is on ensuring an incident like this doesn't happen again.
The city of Westminster and the Academy of Charter Schools both declined to comment about the case due to pending litigation.
But the city did offer this written statement:
"The safety and wellness of our residents, especially children, is our highest priority. When we are made aware of safety concerns, the city reviews the matter closely and takes appropriate action."
CBS News Colorado also reached out to the driver for comment, but has not heard back.
The Franseens' attorneys, Jessica Schlatter and Joe LoRusso of Ramos Law, said they're not willing to provide any comment on any pending legal matter, but said they "would like the focus to remain on the safety of the community and preventing such a horrific event from occurring in the future."
October is Pedestrian Safety Awareness month, and the Colorado Department of Transportation is calling on everyone in the state -- specifically drivers -- to be vigilant of pedestrians.
So far this year, there have been 87 pedestrian deaths on Colorado roadways, according to CDOT, and pedestrian deaths are up 12.5% statewide.
The Franseens are grateful their son is alive, and they remain hopeful the horrific incident in March will warn others, and will drive important change. They also hope this experience will only make their little boy stronger.
"He's incredible," Laura Franseen said. "He's going to change the world with this."
for more features.
