Fred Booth student hit by truck

By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com 

Richard Rivera

An eight-year-old girl making her way across a designated pedestrian crossing outside of Fred Booth Elementary in San Benito was struck by a pick-up truck on the afternoon of Wednesday, December 12.

At 3:21 p.m., San Benito police responded to the 800 block of West Robertson in reference to an auto-pedestrian accident involving the young girl and a white 1998 Chevrolet Pickup truck driven by Richard Rivera, a 25-year-old resident of San Benito.

San Benito Police Department Assistant Operations Chief Michael Galvan said the girl was hit “hard enough to throw her to the ground and roll.”

According to police reports, Rivera stopped at the scene. Emergency Medical Services were called to the scene and transported the victim to Harlingen Medical Center where she was released in stable condition. She reportedly suffered bumps and scrapes to her body.

Responding officers with the SBPD made contact with Rivera who allegedly displayed signs of impairment due to alcohol consumption. An investigating officer conducted a partial standardized field sobriety test, police said, due the driver having a reported handicap.

Rivera was arrested for driving with an invalid license as well as suspicion of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). Rivera was taken to a local hospital for a mandatory blood withdrawal and was transported to the police department. Rivera was arraigned by Municipal Judge David Garza, who set his bond at $2,000 for driving with an invalid license and $10,000 for the charge of intoxication assault with a motor vehicle.

Galvan said investigators are still seeking answers to questions, such as whether a security guard was on duty at the time of the incident.

Rivera, who has a prior arrest record which includes DWI and a recent arrest for crack cocaine is out on bond. He was alone in the truck at the time of this incident.

The case will be overturned to the District Attorney’s office, Galvan said.

Read this story in the Dec. 16 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.