Community members and Bowling Green Independent School District personnel are mourning the loss of Giselle Arias, a 10-year-old student at Parker-Bennett Curry Elementary School, who was struck by a car and killed Wednesday evening.

“I’m at a loss for words. What a tragedy,” city schools Superintendent Gary Fields told the Daily News at the scene of the accident on Gordon Avenue. “We’re going to do our best to be here for this family. This is going to be really tough.”

Officer Ronnie Ward, spokesman for the Bowling Green Police Department, read a statement at the scene Wednesday night.

Ward said the vehicle that struck Giselle was driven by 36-year-old Angela Clark of Bowling Green. Three juveniles were in the Chevrolet SUV with her, but no one in her vehicle was hurt, he said.

When police arrived, Ward said they found a person lying in the roadway. Giselle was later pronounced dead at the scene by the Warren County Coroner’s Office. Investigators do not yet know exactly what caused the accident, which occurred just before 5 p.m., but “at this point in the investigation we do not expect any criminal charges to be placed,” Ward said.

In a written statement issued later, Ward said “witnesses told police Arias was attempting to cross Gordon Avenue when she stepped in the path of a Chevy SUV” driven by Clark.

According to an accident report issued Friday by BGPD, a witness told police that a vehicle stopped and waved at a pedestrian to cross Gordon Avenue. The witness was unable to provide any more information about the vehicle that held the person who apparently waved, and BGPD has not yet located this vehicle.

Clark told police she was in the far left lane of Gordon Avenue when a person ran into the road “from the right side of her vehicle,” according to the accident report. Clark said she did not have time to apply her brakes before striking the person with the front end of her vehicle.

At the scene Wednesday, damage to the front left side of the SUV was visible. Two shoes were lying in the street roughly 30 feet apart, along with a torn-off plastic bumper.

Bowling Green Independent School District released a statement Wednesday evening.

“Giselle was a 5th grade student and has been enrolled at Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary since kindergarten,” the statement said. “She has five siblings, two who have previously graduated from Bowling Green High School and three currently enrolled in Bowling Green City Schools: two siblings at BGHS and one also at Parker-Bennett-Curry.

“To assist our employees and students with this tragic situation, the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative … Crisis Response Team will be in our schools tomorrow. They will first meet with the Parker-Bennett-Curry faculty and staff and provide counseling services as needed.”

Delvagus Jackson, principal at Parker-Bennett-Curry, was also at the accident scene speaking with community members. Jackson said he knew Giselle, who was a twin.

“She was a great student, beautiful smile, always doing the right thing in the school,” Jackson said. “We’re a family at Parker-Bennett-Curry.”

Cheri Smith was the principal at Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary for 10 years and attested to the school’s family atmosphere.

“This is not the first time that this has happened,” she said, adding that another child was killed in the same area about 15 years ago.

Abraham Williams, director of the Bowling Green Housing Authority, described the accident as “tragic” and said it makes you “think about your own kid.”

Williams said the family “has been with us for a long time” and described them as “good folks.”

Ariel Pedigo, whose mother lives on Scott Way, was in a nearby Jr. Food store when the accident happened.

“All I heard was a boom,” Pedigo said. Pedigo left her things on the counter and ran to see what happened but didn’t see anything beyond that. Another witness said she saw the car smoking.

Kisha Woodard, who lives on Graham Drive, was at the scene but did not see what happened.

“All I can do is pray for both families,” Woodard said. Woodard said the area is dangerous for kids because of vehicles that often speed through the area.

Kelly Thomas was also on the scene and said more lights and speed bumps are needed. She has a 16-year-old son and a 12-year-old stepson, whom she doesn’t let go out by himself.

“You gotta watch all kids closely,” she said.

A GoFundMe site (gofundme.com/y7wrg6e4) has been set up to help the family pay for funeral expenses. As of Thursday morning more than $4,000 had been raised. The Web page shows a picture of Giselle with her twin sister at St. Joseph Catholic Church.

— Follow education reporter Aaron Mudd on Twitter at twitter.com/aaron_muddbgdn or visit bgdailynews.com.

Changes considered in road where child died