Michigan 4-Year Old Run Over by Golf Cart When Dog Lies on Pedal

A four-year-old girl was shaken but not injured when a fire department dog lay on a golf cart's gas pedal, causing the vehicle to run over the child.

The incident occurred Friday (8/4) in Westland at a summer festival known as Blues, Brews, and BBQ. Westland is located about 30 miles west of Detroit.

What Are the Details?

The Westland Fire Department took responsibility for the incident in a Facebook post.

The department's arson dog Bella was sitting in a golf cart the fire department was using at the event. The dog jumped from the vehicle's seat and lay down on the floor, lying across the vehicle's accelerator pedal. This caused the vehicle to lunch forward.

Firefighters were nearby and managed to steer the golf cart away from the crowd, toward a tent that firefighters were using. However, before they could bring the vehicle to a stop, it struck the four-year-old child and one of its front tires rolled over the child's leg.

Shaken Up, But Not Injured

The department reports that paramedics and firefighters assisted the child immediately and determined that she had no physical injuries.

Although the youngster was shaken up, the girl's mother declined the offer to take her to an emergency room.

They noted that within about 10 minutes, the girl was back to eating popcorn and then was seen jumping in the department's bounce house.

A Word of Caution

While many online commenters have expressed their thoughts for the girl who was run over, others have admonished the Westland Fire Department for leaving the key in the unattended golf cart.

They're not wrong.