Benson mother hit by car dies; 8-year-old son expected to recover

Troopers said Maria Aguilar Suarez, 34, was walking her children to the bus stop on Barberry Drive around 8 :30 a.m. when she and her 8-year-old son were hit by a car.

Suarez’s son, Juan Almanza, is expected to recover. He is being treated for serious injuries, including a broken jaw and a large cut on his head, at WakeMed. Suarez’s 7-year-old daughter was not hurt.

"I saw (them walking) every day in the morning and the afternoon, she was a very responsible mother," said neighbor Veronica Fraire.

Officials with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said a blue Kia, driven by Ma Del Rosario Perez-Valdovinos, 49, of Benson, was driving south on Barberry Drive when it hit Suarez and her son, temporarily trapping them under the car. She told troopers she could not see the pedestrians because of the bright morning sun.

Perez-Valdovino did not have a driver's license, according to a highway patrol spokesman. Because the incident occurred on a private street, she cannot be charged with driving without a license. Troopers said Perez-Valdovino was traveling at a very low speed.

Her daughter described her as very upset about the incident and said her mother spent the day with the family at the hospital

Charges against Perez-Valdovino are pending, troopers said.