11-Year-Old Girl Killed When Car Crashes Through Storefront
By Mike Dougherty, Robin Rieger and Crystal Cranmore
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Philadelphia police are investigating a car accident that killed an 11-year-old girl and injured four other people Sunday afternoon in South Philadelphia.
The accident happened in the 1100 block of South 8th Street at about 12:30 p.m.
Authorities say two vehicles collided at the intersection of 8th Street and Washington Avenue, resulting in one of the vehicles, an SUV, losing control and crashing into Captain Jesse's Seafood.
According to police, the man driving the Chevrolet Impala, 28-year-old Max Alejandro Drosi, was under the influence, ran a red light and crashed into the SUV driven by a 48-year-old woman.
Police say a 25-year-old female, her 3-year-old son, and her 11-year-old stepdaughter were coming out of the store when they were accidentally struck by the SUV.
"The family was enjoying a Sunday afternoon shopping and they lost a young lady as a result of someone else's negligence," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Joseph Sullivan.
The woman and her son were taken to Jefferson University Hospital with injuries and they have been listed in stable condition. Medics pronounced the 11-year-old girl dead at the scene.
The driver of the SUV was taken to Hahnemann Hospital with a shoulder injury.
Authorities say a 46-year-old male employee of the store was also struck by the SUV and was taken to Jefferson University Hospital in stable condition.
Police say Drosi is being charged with homicide, homicide while driving under the influence, four counts of aggravated assault while driving under the influence and reckless endangerment.
Police say he is a resident of Florida and was driving a rental car at the time of the accident. Authorities believe he may have been looking at his navigation system at the time of the collision. Police will check area stores for surveillance video of the accident on Monday.
