Driver collides with home after hitting son

LAUREL, Del. – Saturday afternoon, a vehicle crashed into a residential structure and hit a pedestrian.

At 3:49pm on Saturday, Laurel Police Department units were dispatched in response to reports that a vehicle had struck a pedestrian before running into a multifamily residential structure at the 100 Block of West Street in Laurel.

Responding officers found that the vehicle had driven through a grass lawn and two fences. The struck pedestrian was a 6-year-old boy who was sitting on a staircase outside the residence.

The driver and father of the boy, 25-year-old Odes Fleurgeme, was operating a 2010 Ford Focus when, for unknown reasons, he accelerated and never stopped turning right while trying to join northbound traffic on West Street. Fleurgeme continued to press the gas pedal instead of braking as he drove through two fences, struck his 6-year-old son, and collided with his own home. The collision significantly damaged electric and utility connections at the residence.

The 6-year-old suffered a leg injury and was transported to a local hospital for treatment, where he was later released.

Police say Fleurgeme did not show any signs of impairment. He was issued traffic citations for Inattentive Driving and Inadequate Brakes. The investigation is ongoing.