KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two children were recovering Monday after they were hit just minutes and miles apart. Police said in both cases the drivers who struck them were drunk.
A Sunday bike ride for Jordan Thomas turned into a scene of terror for his mother when police said the 6-year-old ran a stop sign and into the side of a moving truck.
"I see my son literally seven feet, at least, in the air and then come colliding-tumbling-down, hit the truck and then land on the concrete. It was just devastating," Angela Thomas, Jordan's mother, said in an interview Monday.
Angela said neighbors rushed over to help Jordan, who for a moment, laid lifeless at the intersection of 26th Street and Drury Avenue.
"Then he finally started moving and he just started crying," she said. "His nose was bleeding. He had blood around his mouth and I believe he was in shock."
Kansas City Police told 41 Action News officers arrested the driver, who did stop at the scene, for driving under the influence.
Angela believes the crash was avoidable.
"If he was able to make a sharp left that could've been avoided, but we are drinking; Your reflexes are off and everything is impaired," she said.
At the same time Sunday afternoon, police said another drunk driver hit a 7-year-old girl as she crossed the street in front of a park at 40th Street and Wayne Avenue.
"On the weekends, there are a lot of cars flying up and down the street," Charles Bruce, who lives in area, said.
Police took the second driver to jail for DUI, driving while revoked, and for numerous warrants.
"We need to take these kind of people off the streets there should be serious consequences," Angela Thomas said.
The children in both cases were treated for minor injuries, for which Angela is eternally grateful.
"Too many times, things go unfortunately where children die because of situations like this with someone behind the wheel driving and take an innocent life that we can't bring back," Angela Thomas said.
At both crash scenes people who live in the area told 41 Action News speeding is an issue.
Angela said once her son recovers, she's going work to see if the city can install speed bumps or post signs telling drivers to slow down and watch out for children.