Middlesex County

North Reading neighborhood fed up with speeding after 4-year-old hit last week

NORTH READING, Mass. — There is no posted speed limit on Lakeside Boulevard in North Reading. But residents seem to agree on one thing: most everybody drives too fast. And many are outraged after a four-year-old girl was hit last week while a parent pulled her in a wagon. The child was injured with scrapes and bruises, but was treated and released at an area hospital.

A 39-year-old Andover woman is charged with negligent operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury. She will be summoned to Woburn District Court.

“It was just a matter of time before something like that happened, the way these cars ride up and down the street,” said one neighbor. “Even when people are walking they just keep going so fast.”

Another neighbor, who also did not want to be identified, said speeding has been a problem for more than forty years. In fact, he said he lost two dogs to speeders — with another one injured.

Speaking of dogs, Chloe McKenna walks them through the neighborhood — professionally. She’s the owner and operator of “Chloe’s Companions.”

“People fly by, all the time,” she said. “And it’s horrible. I hope we can fix it eventually. Because what just happened is devastating for that little girl.”

At the approximate scene of the alleged hit-and-run, the girl’s family posted a sign, showing her injuries — and urging drivers to slow down.

North Reading Police Chief Michael Murphy said there’s nothing to indicate speed was a factor in last week’s incident — but it hasn’t been ruled out yet, either.

Murphy also said police and public works officials are reviewing road safety to see if it’s possible to do something to make the area safer.

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