Yesterday, at about 10:35 am, authorities arrested the driver of the Toyota SUV that struck the seven-year-old girl on the Kenai Peninsula.

A call was placed to Soldotna dispatch last Tuesday evening about 6:25 pm. The caller reported a hit and run that occurred near mile 15 of the Kalifornsky Beach Road.

When the Alaska State Troopers and members of the Central Emergency Services arrived at the scene, they found a young girl lying in the road with a passerby rendering her aid.

Witnesses at the scene were able to give the troopers a description of the vehicle that struck the girl as she was walking along the side of the road. The vehicle was described as a Toyota SUV.

The driver of the vehicle, now identified as 56-year-old John Lee Smith of Nikiski, sped off without stopping or rendering aid to the injured girl.

Yesterday, Alaska State Troopers and the U.S. Marshal Service arrested Smith on an outstanding arrest warrant for probation violation on the original charge of MICS 4. He has also been charged with Felony Leaving the Scene of an Accident and Assault III.

Smith is being held at Wildwood Pretrial without bail pending arraignment.