LAKEWOOD, Colo. – The teenage girl who died after she was hit by a car while crossing the street Sunday was identified Monday as 13-year-old Angelina Thompson, an eighth-grader at Dunstan Middle School.
Lakewood police additionally said Monday that Thompson did not have the “walk” symbol flashing at the crosswalk at the intersection of S. Wadsworth Blvd. and W. Virginia Avenue when she crossed and was struck.
Police said the car hit Thompson as it was headed southbound and as Thompson tried to cross Wadsworth. The driver stopped and stayed at the scene, and police said Monday that no charges had been filed against the driver. They also said that alcohol and drugs don’t appear to be factors in the crash as of Monday, though the investigation is ongoing.
Thompson was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, police said.
Dunstan Middle School Principal Jen Kirksey released a letter home to parents on Monday about Thompson’s death – saying she was “doing what 8th graders do – having fun with her friends at Belmar” on Sunday before she “accidentally stepped in front of a car.”
“Angelina was a very sweet girl, always had a smile on her face, and was a friend to students and staff alike. Please take some time to talk with your student about Angelina,” Kirksey wrote in the letter. “Losing a young life is incredibly heartbreaking, and this is likely the first time many of our students will be dealing with the death of a classmate.”
Kirksey’s letter says that there will be mental health professionals at the school on Tuesday and “for as long as needed.”
Kirksey directed people to other resources for help: the Jefferson Center for Mental Health, the Colorado Crisis Service and Mental Health America.
“Our hearts and thoughts are now with Angelina’s family, and I know we will all take moments during the next days and weeks to provide silent support for them as well,” Kirksey said. “I will keep in touch with Angelina’s family and pass on any requests or needs they may have, as well as any plans for a memorial service. … What a profound loss…there are no words.”