Background: Cody Churchwell appears during a court hearing (KPTV). Inset: Quinn Broyles, 13, who police say was struck and fatally injured by Churchwell while riding an e-bike in Canby, Oregon (Canby police).
An Oregon plumber faces charges after authorities said his work van hit a 13-year-old girl riding an e-bike before the driver left the scene. Investigators say he later told police he felt a bump but did not believe he had struck anything.
Cody Churchwell, 31, has been charged with second-degree manslaughter, failure to perform the duties of a driver, reckless driving and reckless endangering in connection with the death of Quinn Broyles.
According to the Canby Police Department, Quinn was traveling in the bicycle lane on the 300 block of South Ivy Street at about 7:20 p.m. Thursday when she was struck by a van. The driver reportedly continued away from the location.
Quinn was transported by air to a children’s hospital, where she later died from her injuries.
Investigators released surveillance footage showing the van and soon traced it to a nearby plumbing business, according to local Fox affiliate KPTV. Officers found the vehicle several hours later outside Churchwell’s home in Canby, roughly 20 miles south of Portland.
ALSO READ: Brian Laundrie’s Parents Face Backlash in Gabby Petito Case
Prosecutors told the court during a bond hearing that the van had visible damage, including a leaking radiator, KPTV reported. Churchwell allegedly said he felt “a bump” while driving but “didn’t think he had hit anything.” He also told police he did not begin drinking until after he returned home.
Quinn’s family shared a statement through the police department, remembering her as a basketball team captain who loved dancing.
“In her short time here on earth, Quinn made an extraordinary impact on several communities, and countless lives,” her family said. “She wasn’t just a daughter, sister, friend, a teammate, a captain, a dancer. She was an inspirational young leader, whose love determination and character left a lasting impression on the youth in our communities.”
Churchwell remains jailed at the Clackamas County Jail without bond. He is scheduled to appear in court again Thursday.
The post Plumber allegedly calls the moment his work van struck a 13-year-old girl “a bump” and tells police he “didn’t think he had hit anything” first appeared on Law & Crime.
EXPLORE MORE: Ellidy Pullin’s New In-Laws Break Silence on Engagement Feud
