Tarentum Teen Hit By Car While Playing Pokémon Go

PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) – A teenager is recovering in the hospital after being hit by a car while playing Pokémon Go in Tarentum.

According to the girl's mother, she was hit near the intersection of East 9th Avenue and Ross Street around 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

"The game dragged her across that highway," said the girl's mom, Tracy Nolan.

Autumn Deiseroth, 15, was crossing the busy four-lane road near the Tarentum Bridge in the heat of rush hour traffic after obtaining a Pokémon near the Heritage Museum. She said she was on her way home, about a block away, when the accident happened.

"The car was flying up the hill," said Deiseroth. "I was in the middle, tried to get out of the way. I was hit on my side."

Deiseroth said she was not looking at her phone at the time and looked both ways before attempting to cross the road.

"She was not walking and playing the game. She was coming home to tell her mother she found Pokémon," said Nolan. "I'm blaming the game itself because it's dragging kids across highways; major highways. Kids don't need to be going across highways."

She suffered bruising to her side and is expected to be released from the hospital Wednesday.

The game, just released last week, is taking the nation by storm.

Unlike other video games, Pokémon Go combines virtual reality with the real-life activity of walking around.

The "augmented reality" game encourages players to wander in the physical world to find and catch new Pokémon on their screens.

The game's popularity has created unintended consequences in everyday life, from annoyed property owners dealing with hordes of monster hunters to store owners using the game to attract customers.

Kennywood Park even sent out a memo to guests earlier this week that read:

"Do not enter restricted areas looking for Pokémon. It's dangerous and will get your kicked out of the park."

The app itself comes with a warning when you open it. It says, "Be alert at all times and stay aware of your surroundings."

In Northeastern Pennsylvania, three "Pokemon Go" players got locked inside a cemetery.

Police in Dunmore tell The Times-Tribune of Scranton the trio didn't realize the cemetery closed at dusk. They called police just after 9:30 p.m. Tuesday when they discovered the cemetery's gates were locked.

Meanwhile, Deiseroth has deleted the app from her phone, and her mother says she will not be getting it back.

When asked if she had any advice for other teenagers, Deiseroth said, "Just be careful. Look where you are going."

Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)