CAR HITS TOT ON THEMIS; FOUR-WAY STOP URGED

A 3-year-old girl was struck by a car Friday night in the 1400 block of Themis Street. The accident occurred in an area where neighbors have petitioned the city to put a four-way stop.

An ambulance took the girl to Southeast Missouri Hospital. Police said her injuries appeared to be minor. They did not release her name.

The accident occurred at 7:21 p.m. after the girl's mother parked her vehicle on Themis Street. Cape Girardeau police officer Rob Barker said the 3-year-old got out of the car on the passenger side as her mother was getting out on the driver's side.

He said the mother was watching another passenger get out of the car on the traffic side when the 3-year-old ran into traffic.

The girl was struck by a westbound car driven by Jason Lee Copeland of Cape Girardeau. Based on eyewitness reports and his measurement of skid marks, Barker said speed was not a factor.

No citations were issued.

Jerry Rigdon, who lives at 1521 Themis, says he and his neighbors have unsuccessfully petitioned the city to put a four-way stop at Themis and Louisiana streets. Franklin School is at the intersection, and the posted speed limit is 20 mph when school is in session.

"This is a school zone and a residential area," Rigdon said, "but I've seem them go so fast I couldn't get their license numbers."

Parking is allowed on both sides of Themis Street in the area, which supposedly slows cars down but also presents the danger that children will run into the street and not be seen, Rigdon said.

"I don't know what the answer is but we've got to do something," he said.

He said the city needs to do something so that drivers won't use Themis Street as a thoroughfare.

"They speed and they don't care because nobody ever does anything about it," Rigdon said.