A 5-year-old boy died after being hit by a car Monday while
riding his bike at the corner of Spruce and Beverly drives, an area
that residents say is dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists
alike.
Hollister – A 5-year-old boy died after being hit by a car Monday while riding his bike at the corner of Spruce and Beverly drives, an area that residents say is dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists alike.
“Everything’s very sketchy right now, we’re still learning exactly what happened,” said Hollister Police Department Spokesman George Ramirez.
The boy was struck by a woman in a red Dodge Durango and was not wearing a helmet, according to police. The driver, who stayed on the scene and cooperated with police, was not arrested.
The bike became twisted and lodged underneath the car and was drug several feet. According to neighbors, the driver was turning left at a four-way stop from Spruce onto Beverly and struck the boy just before 11am while he was crossing the street, possibly coming home from a nearby park in the Sunnyslope Village housing complex. By press time, police were still investigating how fast the driver was going when she struck the boy.
A neighbor attempted to give the boy CPR before paramedics arrived and transported him to Hazel Hawkins Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. At press time, the exact cause of death had not been determined.
Police do not believe drugs or alcohol played a role in the accident. Many neighbors remained talking in small groups outside long after the scene of the accident had been cleared, and those who witnessed the driver speaking with police said she looked “very distraught.”
The boy’s family was notified Monday, but the boy’s name could not be released as police were unable to obtain the family’s permission to do so. Neighbors believe, however, that both the boy and the driver live in the development. By late yesterday afternoon, Ramirez was unable to determine whether the HPD would be looking into pressing charges against the driver.
Sunnyslope Village residents said that traffic has been a problem in the neighborhood for quite a while, a particular concern given the proximity of the park – which is often crowded with children – to the road, and the fact that schoolchildren who ride the bus are picked up and dropped off along Spruce Drive. Residents say cars routinely zoom through the neighborhood at 40 mph and higher.
In the past, residents have considered looking into installing speed bumps like those recently added to Clearview Drive, and several indicated that they would be circulating a petition around the neighborhood demanding local government step in and help with the problem in light of the recent accident.
Danielle Smith covers education for the Free Lance. Reach her at 637-5566, ext. 336 or ds****@fr***********.com
