Man charged after woman pushing pram was hit by car
A man has been charged in connection with a hit and run after a woman was left fighting for her life in hospital when she was struck by a car while pushing a pram.
The victim, who is aged in her 30s, pushed the buggy out of harm’s way a split-second before she was struck by a Toyota RAV 4.
The woman was steering the pram near a play park in Bournemouth, Dorset, at 9am on Tuesday when the incident took place.
Pedestrians rushed to her aid and police and medical services were quickly at the scene.
A 38-year-old man was charged with causing serious injury by dangerous driving, failing to stop after a road traffic collision and drink-driving. He is set to appear before Poole Magistrates' Court on Thursday.
The woman, who has not yet been identified, was airlifted to Southampton General Hospital suffering from a life-threatening head injury.
Two air ambulance helicopters were seen landing in Redhill Park, a small nature reserve on the outskirts of Bournemouth, while up to nine police cars were present.
Photos taken after the incident show a pram on the roadside at the scene.
The baby inside the pram, who witnesses say was aged around 18 months, was unharmed but taken to hospital as a precaution.
Police have not disclosed if the woman pushing the pram is the baby's mother.
Dorset Police are urging any witnesses, particularly those with dash cams who were travelling in the area at the time, to come forward.
A South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: "We were called at 9am to an incident in Bournemouth.
"We sent two air ambulances, three double-crewed land ambulances an operations officer and a doctor and conveyed one patient by land ambulance to Poole Hospital and one patient by air ambulance to Southampton General Hospital."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police online, via email at scit@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting incident number 11:111.
Alternatively, contact independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously via their website or by calling Freephone 0800 555 111.
