Girl, 9, Dies After Being Hit by Pickup

A 9-year-old girl walking to school was killed Wednesday morning when she tried to cross a busy street mid-block and was hit by a pickup truck, authorities said.

Myisha Adams, a third-grader, and two other students at Cactus Elementary School were walking across Avenue R near Hastings Street in Palmdale about 8:30 a.m.

The two other children, both 9, stopped when they saw the white pickup, driven by Richard Callahan, 34, of Palmdale, authorities said. But Myisha continued crossing and was hit by the truck, which was heading west on Avenue R.

The other two students knew they were jaywalking, according to Deputy Paul Ullman of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s Palmdale station. There are two crossing guards at the intersection of Avenue R and 20th Street only yards away, he said.

Callahan tried to stop, Ullman said, but wasn’t able to before his truck struck the girl.

“It looks like she just ran in front of his vehicle and he did what he could to stop,” Ullman said.

Myisha, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was expected to start fourth grade next week at the year-round school.

“It’s been a very tough day,” said Denise Thompson, the secretary of the 1,300-student school. “We’re just like a great big family here.”

A team of psychologists went to Cactus Elementary to console teachers and students Wednesday.