ENOCHVILLE — An unidentified driver knocked a 412-year-old girl off her bicycle Friday afternoon and drove away as her father, brother and witnesses watched in disbelief.

Enochville fire-rescue Capt. Jimmie Hadden said the impact knocked the little girl, Miranda Raymond, 20 to 25 feet, and he credited her bicycle helmet with saving her from a far more serious injury.

“If she hadn’t been wearing a bike helmet, we’d have had to fly that girl out of here,” Hadden said. “She might not be with us now.”

N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper R.G. Willis said Miranda escaped with broken fingers, possibly some broken ribs and cuts and bruises. An ambulance took her to NorthEast Medical Center, where she was listed in fair condition Friday night.

Willis said the car heavily damaged the girl’s bike.

The trooper hopes someone will be able to help him find the hit-and-run car and driver, who faces charges of reckless driving and felony hit-and-run.

Witnesses said the car was a light blue, older model Buick. It might have four doors and the license number may start with MNS, Willis said.

The car has an old dent on the front driver’s-side bumper, and it may have a fresh scrape on the passenger side with pink or blue paint.

Willis said the driver appeared to be “an older white man,” 50 to 60 years old with gray hair and wearing a hat. He may have been wearing glasses.

If you have any information, please call the Highway Patrol at 637-0207, Willis said.

The Highway Patrol got the call about the accident at 12:46 p.m. The girl’s father, Robert Raymond Jr., and Miranda’s brother were walking ahead of Miranda on Smith Road about a quarter-mile from their home at 8318 Smith Road.

They had stopped on the shoulder of the road to let some cars go by and were facing the traffic.

The errant driver was coming south from Enochville School Road and appeared to be looking down at the floor board when his car swerved suddenly toward the Raymond family members.

The car nearly hit Robert Raymond and his son and smashed into Miranda and her bike, going about 35 mph at the time, Willis estimated.

Another driver whose car had just passed the Raymonds saw the whole thing in her rearview mirror.

The hit-and-run driver drove around the car in front of him and sped away.

Hadden, the captain with the Enochville Fire Department, said the car literally knocked the little girl out of her boots, which rescue workers found about 10 feet away from where she was hit.

Miranda Raymond landed on her head 20 to 25 feet from the roadway. Hadden said quite a few members of the Fire Department responded when the emergency call went out.

Trooper Willis said the unidentified driver “had to have known” he had hit the little girl.

“I’ve got a 6-year-old, and it hits home with you,” Willis said.