Rohnert Park Boy Survives Being Knocked Down By Dump Truck

ROHNERT PARK (CBS SF) -- A 6-year-old boy escaped death when he was knocked down and landed underneath by a 10-wheel dump truck in a Rohnert Park intersection Monday afternoon, a police sergeant said.

The boy was riding his bicycle in the crosswalk at Rohnert Park Expressway at State Farm Drive with his mother close behind around 5 p.m., Sgt. Aaron Johnson said.

Witnesses said as the boy got in front of the Peterbilt truck the light turned green for the truck driver, Johnson said. The truck driver could not see the boy and began making a left turn.

Witnesses said the truck's front bumper hit the boy and he and his bike were sucked under the dump truck and began tumbling beneath it, Johnson said.

The truck turned left as the boy thrashed beneath it, and based on the path of the truck's rear tires, the boy ended up tumbling out from under the right fuel tank area and landed clear of the rear tires, Johnson said.

A witness flagged down the truck driver who had no idea what happened, and there is no indication the truck driver, who stopped at the scene, was distracted or using a cellphone, Johnson said.

The boy suffered superficial scratches on his arms and was taken to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. His helmet was split in two and a large section of it was smashed by the truck's rear tires.

The Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety's traffic unit is investigating the incident, but the preliminary investigation indicates the boy and his mother should not have been in the crosswalk, Johnson said.

The boy should have been walking the bicycle across the street, Johnson said.

"The lesson learned is don't cross on a red light and walk your bike in the crosswalk," Johnson said Tuesday morning.

"Regardless of who is at fault, this little fellow and his mother are okay and that is what is important both for her, him and the driver of the truck," Johnson said.

Johnson said the boy's mother was too distraught at the scene Monday afternoon and would be interviewed Tuesday afternoon.

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