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<p>COURTDALE &#8212; A 16-month old boy died from injuries when he was struck by a vehicle allegedly driven by his father on Cooper Street Monday morning.</p><p>The tragic accident happened in front of the family&#8217;s home at 220 Cooper St. at about 9 a.m.</p><p>State police at Wyoming said in a news release that Michael Francis Nice Sr., 34, was operating a 1999 Chevrolet Blazer, trying to leave his residence. He was parked parallel to Cooper Street and attempting to make a U-turn to proceed north on Cooper Street when he was alerted that he had struck his son with the vehicle.</p><p>Emergency Medical Services transported the toddler, identified as Michael Francis Nice Jr., to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township, where he was pronounced dead at 9:44 a.m., police said.</p><p>The Luzerne County Coroner&#8217;s Office said an autopsy is scheduled for today. </p><p>Mary Nice, the toddler&#8217;s grandmother, told reporters she was at work when she received a phone call to immediately return home. When she did, her son was crying, &#8220;I killed my baby. I killed my baby.&#8221;</p><p>Mary Nice said her son told her the toddler ran out of the house as he was driving away.</p><p>As troopers converged onto Cooper Street, Michael F. Nice Sr. sat on the front porch steps with his head in his hands. He was eventually handcuffed and transported to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital for a blood test. Nice Sr. was subsequently released from custody pursuant to the Rules of Criminal Procedure, state police said.</p><p>No charges had been filed as of late Monday.</p><p>For most of Monday, state police focused on the Chevrolet parked in the driveway of the residence. The SUV was towed by Falzone Towing Services when state police obtained a search warrant later in the day.</p><p>A Cooper Street resident, who declined to give his name because he was questioned by state police, said his wife witnessed the accident and called 911. He said the toddler and two other young children from the Nice household would often play in the street, riding tricycles or Big Wheels without adult supervision.</p><p>Two other neighbors said they&#8217;ve also expressed concerns about the three children playing in the street. On several occasions, the three children were nearly struck by passing vehicles, they said.</p><p>Cooper Street is posted 15 mph with a &#8220;Watch Children&#8221; sign near Courtright Avenue.</p><p>The neighbor who witnessed the accident said the child was struck on the passenger side of the Chevrolet, which was backed into the driveway after the accident.</p><p>&#8220;He ran right over the baby and backed up into the driveway,&#8221; the neighbor said. &#8220;A woman picked up the toddler screaming, &#8216;Help, help, I need help.&#8217;&#8221;</p><p>Luzerne County Chief Detective Michael Dessoye and two assistant district attorneys arrived at the scene just after 11 a.m.</p><p>The toddler&#8217;s mother, Nicole Gerow, granted reporters an interview later in the day but it was canceled at the urging of an attorney, whom she refused to name.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">State police at Wyoming investigate a fatal accident that claimed the life of a toddler on Cooper Street in Courtdale on Monday morning. The child&#8217;s father, Michael Francis Nice Sr., is seated on his front porch. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL072015Fatalaccident1.jpg</photo0><caption0>State police at Wyoming investigate a fatal accident that claimed the life of a toddler on Cooper Street in Courtdale on Monday morning. The child&#8217;s father, Michael Francis Nice Sr., is seated on his front porch. </caption0><photoCredit0>Clark Van Orden | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL072015Fatalaccident2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">State police take the driver of the vehicle involved in a fatal accident that claimed the life of Michael Francis Nice Jr. on Cooper Street in Courtdale on Monday morning. Police identified the driver as the toddler&#8217;s father, Michael Francis Nice Sr., 34. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL072015Fatalaccident2.jpg</photo1><caption1>State police take the driver of the vehicle involved in a fatal accident that claimed the life of Michael Francis Nice Jr. on Cooper Street in Courtdale on Monday morning. Police identified the driver as the toddler&#8217;s father, Michael Francis Nice Sr., 34. </caption1><photoCredit1>Clark Van Orden | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL072015Fatalaccident3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">State police look for evidence while investigating a fatal motor vehicle accident in Courtdale that took the life of a 16-month-old boy on Monday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_TTL072015Fatalaccident3.jpg</photo2><caption2>State police look for evidence while investigating a fatal motor vehicle accident in Courtdale that took the life of a 16-month-old boy on Monday. </caption2><photoCredit2>Clark Van Orden | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div>

Toddler identified in fatal accident in Courtdale