6-year-old Belle Vernon Area student dies after being hit by car

On Friday afternoon, the Rev. Mary Kay Glunt placed a pinwheel, colorful flowers and a stuffed white lamb in the yard of First Presbyterian Church of Belle Vernon.

Amanda Woznick saw it and knelt in front of it, crying.

Glunt’s mementos marked the scene where, hours earlier, Woznick’s 6-year-old daughter Aria was struck by a car as the Marion Elementary School first grader crossed the street in front of the North Belle Vernon church.

The child was headed to her bus stop with her two siblings about 8:10 a.m. when she was hit, North Belle Vernon police Chief Eugene Lipari said.

Aria was flown by medical helicopter to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh but later died, family members confirmed.

Timothy Woznick, Aria’s father, said his daughter was with her sister, Emma, 9, brother, Caleb, 8, and older neighbors when the accident occurred in the 400 block of Fayette Street.

“She must not have seen the car,” said her mother, Amanda.

The driver stopped and was cooperative with police, Lipari said. He declined to identify the motorist.

Amanda said her daughter loved life.

“She was always running around,” she said.

Timothy said his daughter often would get in trouble in school.

“Her and the security guard knew each other. He knew her by her first name. Everybody loved her, even if she was bad,” he said.

Glunt was familiar with all of the Woznick children.

“I knew her to say hello. She would play in the backyard of the church,” Glunt said. “They are sweet kids.”

Church leaders were hoping to build a bus shelter on the property where the students could safely wait for the bus, she said.

Rosalyn Christopher, a neighbor who rushed to the scene with a blanket for Aria, said she was shaken by the girl’s death.

“It was bad. I’ll never get that vision out of my mind,” Christopher said.

Counselors were at the school Friday to provide support for students and staff, Belle Vernon Area Superintendent Kenneth Williams said.

Additional counselors will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the North Belle Vernon Fire Department Social Hall, 543 Broad Ave., Rostraver police said.