Driver slams into 5-year-old Smyrna boy riding new go-kart on his birthday, takes off

SMYRNA, Ga. — The mother of a young boy who was injured by a hit-and-run driver said she was stunned when police arrested one of her neighbors.

Channel 2′s Michael Seiden was at the family’s apartment on Wexford Hills Parkway in Smyrna Tuesday, where the accident happened on Sunday morning.

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In an exclusive interview with Seiden, Quenese Luckett said her nightmare began late Sunday morning, just hours before friends and family were scheduled to gather at the Cumberland Pointe apartments in Smyrna for Neil’s birthday celebration.

With family and friends watching, Neil decided to take his birthday gift, a children’s go-kart, for a test drive. That’s when witnesses say he was struck by a car.

“Everything just happened so fast,” Luckett said. “It was like, ‘Boom!’”

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Neighbors told police the driver stopped for a moment and then took off. Police later arrested one of Luckett’s neighbors on two felony charges.

Neil suffered a concussion and a broken femur.

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“The last 24 hours is pretty much been chaos,” Luckett said. “We were just released from the hospital last night.”

Smyrna police arrested the driver, now identified as Victoria Conner.

An arrest affidavit shows she’s facing two felony charges.

Seiden learned that Conner is the child’s neighbor and lives a couple buildings away from where the crash happened.

“I could never, ever just do that,” Luckett said. “That was just so disgusting. Pathetic to me. Just pathetic.”

Seiden stopped by Conner’s home, but when she answered the door, she declined to comment. Right now, it’s unclear if Conner has hired an attorney.

Doctors told Luckett that it will be a long road back to recovery for Neil, who is currently using a wheelchair.

“I am thinking positive and I’m praying that m son is able to fully be able to walk again,” Luckett said.

The family has set up a GoFundMe account to help with Neil’s medical expenses.

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