Liberty High School student believed to be driver that crashed track meet, Bethlehem police say

Bethlehem police were working today to set up an interview with the teenage driver.

A teenage girl believed to have driven onto the Bethlehem Area School District track struck a woman and checked on her well-being before driving off, Bethlehem police said.

Bethlehem police were working today to schedule an interview with the girl, who is believed to be a student at Liberty High School, police Capt. David Kravatz said.

The girl was parked in a lot beside the stadium bleachers about 5:30 p.m. when she struck Hanover Township, Northampton County, resident Kathy Herron-Buttillo, before continuing through a fence and onto the track, Kravatz said.

Both the girl and an older woman, believed to be her mother, checked on Herron-Buttillo’s condition before driving off, Kravatz said.

Herron-Buttillo suffered only minor injuries and was helped by several attendees at the track meet between Liberty High School and Allentown Central Catholic, Kravatz said.

“We’re really grateful a number of witnesses were able to assist her,” he said.

Several witnesses also told police the name of the driver, who some said is a student at Liberty High School, according to Kravatz. Police said it is possible the girl accidentally put the car into drive when she meant to reverse out of a parking spot, he said.

The track meet continued uninterrupted and no one else was injured, Kravatz said.

“We were very lucky with that,” he said. “Cars and pedestrians don’t mix.”

Bethlehem police plan to interview the girl and her mother as soon as possible to obtain more information and determine any charges, Kravatz said.