Investigation Continues Into Youth Bicyclist Vs. Truck Accident

Sonora, CA — Local police say they are still looking into how exactly a 10-year-old boy on a BMX style bicycle wound up under the wheels of a Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Community Services division pickup truck while attempting to cross a busy downtown Sonora intersection.

The accident, as reported here, occurred Monday just after 11 a.m. According to Acting Sonora Police Chief Turu VanderWiel, “Based on what we know so far the boy was stopped on the southwest corner of the intersection waiting to cross Stockton Road in a northbound direction. At the same time, a Sheriff’s Community Service 2013 Chevy pickup was stopped at the intersection facing eastbound preparing to turn right onto southbound Washington Street. At some point, both the bicyclist and the pickup began their forward movement, resulting in a collision, which knocked the boy to the ground — partially pinning him underneath the front of the pickup.”

Emergency responders were onscene within a few short minutes to help quickly free the victim and begin first-aid measures. While his injuries turned out not to be life-threatening medics recommended transporting him to a trauma center for damage to his left foot.

“We are told that the boy is doing well this morning,” the chief reports. To that, he adds, “Several witness statements along with physical evidence from the scene need to be reviewed before we can finalize our investigation.” Any eyewitnesses who have not yet provided their account should call Sonora Police at 532-8141.