By Mark Wineka
Salisbury Post
A 9-year-old girl hit by a car in Salisbury was listed in critical condition at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem late Saturday night.
Salisbury Police identified the girl as Karena Rankin of Cleveland.
The accident happened about 4:20 p.m. Saturday on West Innes Street near Willow Street, in the vicinity of Summersett Funeral Home and City Memorial Park.
Sgt. John Lanier of the Salisbury Police Department said Rankin and two of her friends were attempting to cross West Innes Street on the funeral home side. The two other girls saw a 2005 Mercury approaching from the west and were able to step back off the street, reports said.
The Rankin girl failed to see the car in time and was trying to turn back when she was struck by the vehicle, police added.
The Mercury was driven by Yulandra Weeks, 29, of Salisbury.
The girl, believed to be a fourth-grader at Cleveland Elementary School, was airlifted to the Winston-Salem hospital.
It was not clear why the girls were in that particular area, although Lanier said he heard it may have had something to do with a church-related activity.
The driver of the car faces no charges.
Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263 or mwineka@salisburypost.com.