Aug 18, 2007 7:14 am US/Eastern
Young Girl Struck, Killed By Truck In Queens
JACKSON HEIGHTS, N.Y. (CBS) ―
What was supposed to be a casual bike ride to the mall for two friends ended in tragedy Thursday afternoon.
Carolina Hernandez, 13, was riding her bike on the way to the mall when she was run over by a delivery truck at 57th avenue in Elmhurst.
According to her friend Denise, who was riding her bicycle ahead, Carolina died before any help arrived.
"I took her hand and said don't leave me, I love you," Denise said.
The driver of the truck that ran over and killed Carolina Hernandez was identified as Carlos Noriega, 36. He has been charged with driving with a suspended license. If found guilty the punishment is usually a fine.
Her grieving friends and family said Carolina was "mad pretty and a budding artist." They'll never know what might have been.
To Carolina's father, who called the oldest of his three girls his angel, the fact that the driver didn't have a license doesn't really matter.
"It's not going to do anything, she's never coming back," said Rafael Hernandez.
Witnesses at the scene said it was clearly an accident and the driver was not at fault.
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