Girl, 7, struck by Pace bus in Woodstock

WOODSTOCK, Ill. (WLS) -- A 7-year-old girl has been released from the hospital after she was critically injured after being struck by a Pace bus in north suburban Woodstock.

Around 3 p.m. Tuesday, she was with her father in a busy Walmart parking lot in the 1200-block of Lake Avenue when the bus hit her.

Witnesses said she was initially able to talk with her dad as first responders arrived, but her condition quickly worsened. Paramedics carefully loaded her onto a Fight for Life helicopter, which transported her to the hospital.

Woodstock police are investigating. A Pace spokesperson said per standard procedure, the bus driver took tests to determine if drugs or alcohol played a role in the accident.

The spokesperson also said at the time of the accident, the bus was being operated by a contractor and operating McHenry County's Dial-A-Ride program, which allows people to request transportation to and from stores or medical facilities.