Woman given $5K personal bond on charges she hit two boys with her car, then sped away

LORAIN, Ohio - A judge gave a woman accused of hitting two brothers with her car and then fleeing the scene a $5,000 personal bond in Lorain Municipal Court Tuesday morning.

Maxine Whitfield, 27, of Lorain, made a brief court appearance with some family members. She currently is not in jail.

Police said Whitfield hit Matthew Hollingsworth, 17, and his 4-year-old brother, Charles Thomas Harrington Jr., with her car on June 13 on Clifton Avenue in Sheffield Township. Matthew was walking down the street with Charles on his shoulders.

Witnesses told police Maxine was driving a 1997 Toyota Camry, and instead of stopping, they said she sped away from the scene.

The boys were lying on the road and another driver stopped to help them. They were flown to Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland, where they received treatment and were later released.

The boys' mother talked to NewsChannel5 after the incident while the boys still were hospitalized.

"It's just overwhelming," said Gina Hollingsworth. "I was scared and you know, angry 'cause, you know, when I found out it was a hit and run driver, I'm like -- why would anybody just leave you know two children on the side of the street."

Whitfield is charged with several counts, including vehicular assault, leaving the scene of an accident and tampering with evidence.

She has a pretrial hearing scheduled for July 10.