A six-year-old is in critical condition following an incident at the Kipona Festival in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where a 37-year-old woman drove through a minivan on Monday night, injuring two adults and the child.
According to police, the red minivan crashed into parts of the festival at around 6 p.m., just as vendors were closing up and families made their last purchases at the three-day event.
The driver reportedly sped past barricades, hitting a wheelchair-bound woman and a man from the city’s Department of Transportation Engineering, both of whom were left with injuries but were stable afterward. Mayor Wanda Williams noted that the male victim was attempting to intervene when he was struck.
Witnesses reported chaos as the driver hit everything in her path for about five blocks. A local news source reported on the incident, raising concerns about the safety of attendees, especially children.
The driver, a blonde woman wearing a t-shirt inscribed with “Mom’s Son Team,” was apprehended at the scene. Her battered minivan, adorned with various bumper stickers, was left with deployed airbags and a dented hood.
Debris from vendor stands littered the area in the aftermath, leading to a scene of disarray. Bystanders conveyed disbelief and shock at the rapid approach of the vehicle, with some recalling how eerily quiet it was before the crash.
The reasons behind the driver’s actions remain unclear, and the police are actively investigating the incident.
The Kipona Festival, a staple of Harrisburg since 1916, originally started as a water carnival but has since evolved into a larger event featuring merchants, performances, and activities, including children’s contests and a puppet parade.
This is not the first instance of vehicular incidents occurring at festivals in Pennsylvania. Just last month, another driver drove through a crowd at a festival in Pittsburgh, resulting in six injuries, which authorities termed a coincidence due to improper parking. Earlier in January, a car also sped through gatherings after a Philadelphia Eagles victory, injuring three individuals, although those injuries were not life-threatening.
