Parents near the scene are asking for safety changes on a busy road where young children cross to and from school buses, according to WSOC TV.
Charlotte, NC - October 27, 2026
A 17-year-old has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run crash on Barrington Drive in east Charlotte that killed six-year-old Mariana Espinoza, according to WSOC TV. The station reported that the child was getting off a school bus when she was struck.
Key Facts
- Date: Friday crash, first reported October 27, 2026
- Location: Barrington Drive, east Charlotte, North Carolina
- Type of crash: Hit-and-run
- Vehicles involved: One car
- Injuries / fatalities: One fatality, a six-year-old girl
- Responding agencies: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department
- Reported by: WSOC TV
Crash Overview
The crash happened on a Friday on Barrington Drive. WSOC TV reported that the six-year-old had just gotten off a bus from Devonshire Elementary School when she was hit and killed.
On Monday, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department arrested 17-year-old Lachevis Finnie. Investigators said the car he was driving matched the vehicle involved in the crash. According to court records, Finnie did not have a driver's license. He was scheduled to appear before a judge on Tuesday morning.
WSOC TV reported that parents at a growing memorial near the site said they want safety improvements to prevent another death. Several parents told the station that young children cross a busy road with heavy traffic at the same location. One parent said a car nearly struck a child who had just gotten off a bus a few days earlier, not far from where the fatal crash occurred. Other parents said they had seen drivers speeding and passing stopped school buses. These are the parents' accounts, not findings by investigators. Suggested changes included a traffic light, a safer crossing point, more surveillance, and an adult to direct traffic during bus drop-offs.