LEWISTON — Police descended on the area of Lisbon Street and Webber Avenue Thursday afternoon when a driver fled the scene after striking a girl on a bicycle.

The girl was treated for skinned knees at the scene and police began searching for the driver of the Hyundai that hit her.

The crash was reported around noon. With information provided by witnesses, police were able to track down the driver a short time later. His name was not released but police said they expect he will be charged with leaving the scene.

Anini Hassan said he was a passenger in the car but that he did not know the man who was driving. They were only recent acquaintances, he said.

When the girl was struck, Hassan said he initially convinced the driver to pull over. But while Hassan was checking on the victim, he said, the driver took off.

“I turned around and he was not there. I could not just leave this person we hit,” Hassan said. “That would be wrong.”

When they first responded to the crash scene, officers were given the license plate number of the Hyundai and were quickly able to trace it to a suspect. Police said the driver is a local man.

Police said the girl on the bike had been riding in the same direction of the Hyundai when the car turned in front of her, striking her with the front end. The collision was being investigated by officer Eric Syphers, who was not available with information Thursday night.

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