Star-Journbal Editor
An 11-year-old Hillsboro boy, who police say failed to obey a stop sign, was struck by a car while riding his bicycle this past Friday evening at the corner of A Street and Washington.
The youth, who escaped serious injury, was transported by Marion County Ambulance to Hillsboro Community Medical Center, where he was examined and released.
The driver, a 16-year-old male, was clearly distraught but not charged in the accident, which occurred at dusk, around 4:30 p.m., police said.
The 9-1-1 call reporting that a child had been run over by a car sent a jolt through Hillsboro police chief Dan Kinning, who arrived at the scene at the same time as the ambulance.
"It's always scary, always scary when you get a call like that," Kinning said. "We just don't know how bad it's going to be, and luckily
The emergency crew found the boy dazed, but sitting upright on the curb, beside the car.
"He was telling everybody he was OK, but we needed to be sure," Kinning added.
He said the driver of the car was southbound on Washington, driving within the speed limit, when the bicycle, traveling east bound on A Street, crossed in front of him.
"The driver didn't know if the boy was riding on the sidewalk or on the street," the chief said. "He said he was suddenly just there."
What could have been a tragedy became an opportunity for the chief to remind everyone, whether driving a car or riding a bike, to obey traffic laws.
"Bicycles are to treat the streets the same as vehicles; they need to follow the rules of the road too," he said. "They are obligated to stop at stop signs like anybody else."
The chief added that after the change in Daylight Savings Time, boys and girls on their bicycles in the late afternoon could be hidden in the early evening shadows. It also is the time of year when drivers must be careful just after sunrise.
"Drivers need to be more cautious because the sun is right in their eyes when they are driving in the morning," Kinning said. "It is really difficult to see children even if they do stop at the crosswalk or at the stop signs."
Fortunately, this time only a bicycle was damaged.
"It's a reminder to be very cautious," he said.
