Boy, 12, Flown to CHOP after Vehicle Hit and Run
Police say he was riding on his bike on Bethlehem Pike when a sedan struck him.
A 12-year-old boy was struck by a Ford Contour sedan as he was riding his bike on Bethlehem Pike in Lower Gwynedd early Tuesday evening, requiring him to be flown by helicopter to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Lower Gwynedd Police Chief John Scholly said that the boy is alive, but does not know the extent of his injuries.
MontCoAlerts, which monitors emergency broadcasts in Montgomery County, reported that the boy was bleeding from the head when responders found him.
Police say the boy was traveling north on the roadway near Cedar Hill Road at about 5:30 p.m. when the car crossed the white line and struck him from behind. A witness traveling behind the Contour said the boy was dragged for about 20 feet before coming free of the vehicle, while the bike was carried for an additional four or five blocks. The Contour then made a right onto Welsh Road, where it was last seen heading in the direction of Upper Dublin.
The vehicle was described as a maroon 1998 Ford Contour four-door sedan, driven by an older male, and the witness was able to provide police with the license plate number HNZ-6793. Police say the vehicle is registered to a woman, who they do not believe was driving the vehicle at the time. The vehicle number and description have been broadcast to surrounding authorities, Scholly said.
While the identity of the boy has not been released, Scholly said that he lives within a few blocks of where the accident occurred.
As of 7:10 p.m., Bethlehem Pike remained closed between the Giant parking lot and the road's merge point with route 309. County crime scene reconstruction detectives were en route to conduct an investigation.
worldpeace2013
7:43 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
i mean i saw it coming the roads here are so old they are meant for cars not people... and where r the intersection cameras...
worldpeace2013
7:45 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
also OLD people SHOULD NOT be driving!!! he prob has NO IDEA he has ran someone over !!! stay at home old people no you no longer have independence deal with it! this can all go back to the politicians stuff like this is not on the agenda!
Donna McGrath
8:14 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
sbould a 12 yr old be permitted to ride on this stretch of road? My prayers go out to this family...
servicegurl
8:55 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
How do you know they are old?!!! Some younger people shouldn't be driving! Make sure you know the facts before you speak.
Joanne Klein
8:59 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
It could have been a 30 year old on the bike. Age does not matter
servicegurl
9:01 pm on Tuesday, September 25, 2012
worldpeace I see you have no respect for your elders, I hope your parents don't read your comment. You have issues, seek help!
A lansdale resident
10:08 am on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
I believe people over the age of 60 years old should have to take a driving test every year, to ensure they are safe for the road. I am not sure why a 12 year old boy would be riding his bike on a busy road like that. But I send my dearest condolences out to the family.
Curmudgeon
3:15 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Why 60?? Why not every three or four years, like renewing a license. Actually statistics show those are the safest drivers. Look at the statistics and just don't shoot from the hip. I agree there are many people who are unfit to drive and we should examine that, but in FLA the politicians will not act because the older drivers are the ones who vote. PS, I thinks anyone in Lansdale should not drive because they are too stupid to live somwhere else, make sense???
Heather
4:52 pm on Wednesday, September 26, 2012
I used to live on Cedar Hill Road. I know that all of these streets around it are crazy busy with traffic. There are a few of you who are asking why this child was allowed to ride his bike on a busy road. Maybe he wasn't? Maybe his parents were still at work? There are NO sidewalks on Cedar Hill or Beth Pike, so where are the kids who live around here able to ride their bikes?
Maybe it would help if ALL drivers followed posted speed limit signs as well. Folks who come down Cedar Hill are WAY ABOVE the 35mph speed limit.
Peter
11:41 am on Thursday, September 27, 2012
My heart feels heavy for the boy and his parents. I wish them a speedy recovery.
Not to use this tragedy as a soap box, but folks WE can control the manner in which our local government makes roads and sidewalks. If a situation is too dangerous for car and pedestrian then it warrents change - period. As the price of gas continues to rise and jobs fall, we may need to rely on walking and bicycles as a daily means of transportation. Pedestrian routes should be reinforced and maintained.
WITNESS
3:03 pm on Thursday, September 27, 2012
Man wasn't 60. I was the one who followed him and got his tags. He was late 40's and looked like he was in a daze....looked scared. They got him in Philly and all that matters is the 12 year old is doing well and had min injuries. Scary that you could hit someone and leave them behind. People in this world are very scary sometimes.