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NAPLES, Uintah County — A Uintah County girl's foot was so badly damaged after it was pinned under the tire of UPS truck Tuesday that it could not be saved, according to a friend of the girl's family.
Dacia Jackson spoke Wednesday with KSL-TV with the permission of the girl's parents. She identified the child as 7-year-old Alissa Sizemore.
Alissa was playing with her siblings about 5:40 p.m. when she ran past a pair of garbage cans sitting at the curb and into the street near the intersection of 460 East and 1500 South, Naples Police Cpl. Garrett Whatcott said.
The driver of a northbound UPS truck approaching the stop sign at 460 East hit the girl, the corporal said, coming to a stop with the truck's right front tire on the girl's right foot.
The driver backed the truck up, freeing the child, Whatcott said.
Alissa was taken by ambulance to Ashley Regional Medical Center in Vernal, then flown to Primary Children's Hospital. She is expected to undergo additional surgery Friday so she can eventually be fitted with a prosthesis, Jackson said.
Alissa is a student at Powerhouse Dance Studio in Vernal, where Jackson teaches. Her dance team recently qualified for nationals and now plans to wear T-shirts that read "I Dance for Alissa" for their May 16-17 competition at Lagoon.
"She'll dance again," Jackson said, referring to Alissa, "and, of course, there will always be a place for her here at Powerhouse."
Naples police continue to investigate the crash with help from the Utah Highway Patrol. Investigators are also working to obtain GPS data from the UPS truck that will provide them with additional information, Naples Police Chief Mark Watkins said.
"It is always traumatic to respond to an accident such as this involving a child," Watkins wrote on his department's Facebook page. "We can’t imagine what the little girl and family are experiencing."
Family members are working to set up an account* at Mountain America Credit Union to help offset expenses associated with Alissa's medical care. Her fellow dancers are also selling "I Dance for Alissa" T-shirts through the Powerhouse Dance Studio's Facebook page.
*KSL.com has not verified the accuracy of the information provided with respect to the account nor does KSL.com assure that the monies deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
