DUBOIS – Charges have been filed against a Penfield couple who allegedly let their children hang out of their moving vehicle leading to one of them being run over.
Michelle Lyn, 42, and Christopher Michael Endicott, 37, 22 Ponderosa Ln., Penfield, were charged by Pennsylvania State Police April 18 with two counts each of endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person as a result of an incident Nov. 30 in Huston Township.
Michelle Endicott is also facing additional summary charges of careless driving, reckless driving, restraint systems-child booster seats and failure to use safety belts.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, a police investigation revealed that Michelle Endicott was driving while two male juvenile passengers were sitting on the floor board of the second row seating area of their 2005 Dodge Caravan, with their feet dangling outside the opened sliding door.
Police determined the four-year old was ejected when the vehicle struck a pothole. The nine-year old attempted to grab the other boy as he was being ejected and as a result was also ejected from the vehicle. The right rear wheel ran over the four-year-old before coming to a controlled stop.
Christopher Endicott exited the vehicle, picked the boys up and put them back in the vehicle. Michelle Endicott allegedly drove them back to their residence rather than immediately seeking medical treatment for the boys.
As a result, the four-year old sustained life threatening injuries and was transported by helicopter to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, according to the complaint. The nine-year-old was transported by ambulance to Penn Highlands DuBois for treatment.
When Michelle Endicott was interviewed by police, she told them it was common practice for the boys to dangle their feet outside the vehicle and drag them on the dirt road while they drive in the mobile home park.
She also admitted she was operating the vehicle and she ran over the youngest boy. She revealed to an officer that the boy had “tire tracks” on his back and that was how she knew she ran over him.
The preliminary hearings in this case are scheduled for centralized court June 3 at 9:30 a.m. at District Judge Patrick Ford’s office.
