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Clearfield teen recovering after she was hit by driver suffering from a seizure

Posted at 10:31 PM, Nov 14, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-15 09:46:10-05

Mariyha Sanchez, 14, was standing on the sidewalk in Clearfield on November 3, waiting for her mother to pick her up, when her life changed in an instant.

"It was like a huge boom and I was on the grass," Sanchez said.

Sanchez was hit by the car and dragged 25 feet before the driver, Kari Ford, hit a brick home.

"I had a seizure while driving," Ford explained.

Ford, 27,  said this was her second seizure. She had her first one three months ago.

"This tragedy, this nightmare is completely unexpected," Ford said.

Sanchez was airlifted to Primary Children's Hospital, where she stayed for seven days. Doctors treated her for a broken femur, collarbone, and pelvis along with a fractured cheekbone.

"I'm in pain every single day," Sanchez said.

It will be at least another six to eight weeks before she'll be able to walk again.

"Why did this happen to me? I didn’t want to be this way. I didn’t want to sit down all the time. I'm the kind of person who’s active and likes to jump around everywhere," Sanchez said.

The crash is still under investigation and, at this point, no charges have been filed against Ford.

"I didn’t intentionally hit Mariyha and I genuinely care about her recovery. My family genuinely cares about her recovery," Ford said.