‘I was scared': Boy hit by car in Miami Gardens speaks as driver faces charges

A boy who was struck by a car while walking to school in Miami Gardens continued to recover Wednesday as the driver charged in the incident was released from jail.

The incident happened shortly before 8 a.m. Tuesday in the area of Northwest 12th Avenue and Northwest 188th Street.

Family members said the boy, 11-year-old Johnny Baptiste, was walking to nearby Parkway Elementary School with his cousin when he was struck.

Miami Gardens Police said the driver of a Ford Fusion was speeding and tried to get around traffic by driving onto a grass swale when he lost control and hit a tree before striking the boy.

Surveillance video showed Baptiste and his cousin walking down a sidewalk to school before the car is seen speeding through and a loud noise is heard.

Baptiste was airlifted to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center in serious but stable condition.

His mother said he suffered a small fracture to his skull along with bruises and scrapes throughout his body.

On Wednesday, family members shared a video of Baptiste from the hospital after he spent the night there recuperating.

“Hi everyone, I’m doing better and thank you for your support,” he said in the brief video.

Baptiste was later released from the hospital and spoke with NBC6. He said he didn’t see the car coming but remembered hitting the ground.

“I heard a car started beeping and I turned around and saw a car coming and I moved back and I tried to tell him but the car was right there,” he said. “I was scared.”

He also spoke about his injuries.

“I have a headache and my head is sore. And, I got bruises and scratches on my legs and arms,” he said.

The driver of the Fusion, identified by police as 23-year-old Jalen Darius Forbes, was arrested on charges of reckless driving and reckless driving causing serious bodily injury.

Forbes was booked into jail and later released.

The family has created a GoFundMe account in case you would like to support the child.