10-year-old boy killed in Apex crash while riding scooter in neighborhood

Apex police confirmed the crash occurred near the intersection of Woodall Crest Drive and Apex Barbecue Road along the Woodall Estates community.

The child, Ayaan Vachery, was riding a scooter within the neighborhood at the time of the crash, according to police. Police and emergency teams responded just after 1 p.m.

Vachery was taken to a Durham County hospital, where he died from his injuries. The initial cause of the crash is under investigation.

Vachery was a fourth grade student at Combs Magnet Elementary School in Raleigh and lived in the neighborhood where he was hit.

"We are a school family and we will continue to support one another as we process this loss and navigate this challenging time together," Combs Principal Juley Sexton said in a letter to families. Grief counselors will provide resources to students in the coming days.

A photo showed concerned neighbors standing along the sidewalk with traffic cones blocking off traffic around 1:30 p.m. Several people ran over and tried to help the child immediately after the collision with one person performing CPR.

Normally, the street's speed limit would be 35 mph according to town of Apex, but it was reduced to 25 mph after being reviewed in 2021. Apex police could not locate any speeding complaints in the Woodall Estates neighborhood. The office does not have a record of a traffic calming request from the neighborhood.

The driver of the vehicle was not injured. There is no word on whether charges will be filed.