A Sunday afternoon UTV crash in Little Compton resulted in the death of a 5-year-old girl and serious injuries to another child, leading to felony charges against the 16-year-old driver.
According to police, a 16-year-old was driving the utility task vehicle carrying seven juvenile passengers in a field off Long Highway around 2:00 p.m. when they lost control. The UTV rolled over, ejecting everyone on board.
A 5-year-old girl was rushed to Saint Anne’s Hospital with critical injuries, where she was later pronounced dead. A second 5-year-old girl was transported to Hasbro Children’s Hospital with serious injuries and remains in stable condition. The remaining six young passengers were treated at the scene and released to their parents.
The 16-year-old driver was charged with two felonies: driving to endanger, death resulting, and driving to endanger, serious bodily injury resulting. Held overnight at the Rhode Island Training School, the teenager is awaiting arraignment in Providence Family Court.
The Little Compton Police Department is continuing to investigate the crash with assistance from the Rhode Island State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit and Forensic Services Unit.
