Girl, 10, hit by car while leaving Aurora school urges drivers to be vigilant

A 10-year-old girl is urging drivers to be more vigilant after she was struck by a car while riding home from school.

The Aurora Police Department responded to the intersection of S. Telluride and E. Dartmouth around 3 p.m. Friday for reports of a crash. Emma Sherburne, 10, riding her scooter home from Dalton Elementary School when she was struck by a car.

According to police, the driver said she was looking the opposite way when she started accelerating from the stop sign and crashed into Emma, who was in the crosswalk. The 29-year-old driver from Aurora was cited for careless driving resulting in injury and no proof of insurance.

Emma, an energetic fifth grader, is covered in bruises on one side of her body. Her injuries were not considered serious, but they still shocked her and her family.

“All I remember is me on the ground," Emma said. “Watch where you're going and pay attention... That was almost a murder weapon.”

Nicole Cook rushed to her daughter, who was quickly taken to the hospital. The family is sharing their story to remind drivers to be alert on the roads, especially near schools.

"The outcome could be worse," Cook said. "They need to be able to be safe getting to school and going home.”

When school started at the beginning of August, Aurora PD pushed out a message on social media urging drivers to exercise more caution in and around school zones.

In a statement, Aurora Public Schools urged all drivers to "slow down, follow the traffic laws and stay alert for children when traveling in neighborhoods near a school."

Full statement:

We were very sorry to learn of an accident involving one of our Dalton Elementary students that occurred offsite Friday after school. We are thankful that our student is recovering and back at school. Since last week, we have been working with the family to provide support. We regularly communicate with our community about the importance of safety in school zones. We urge all drivers to slow down, follow the traffic laws and stay alert for children when traveling in neighborhoods near a school. The safety of our students and staff is our top priority.

Cook said the staff at Dalton Elementary School has been very helpful. The school is working to acquire a crossing guard for the intersection where the crash happened.

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