Update: Two young bike riders struck in Long Beach crosswalk; teenage boy killed

It’s tragic enough when anyone is needlessly killed in a crash.

Worse when it’s a child. Especially one who doesn’t appear to have done anything wrong.

The Long Beach Post reports that a boy in his early teens was killed while riding his bike in the city Thursday afternoon.

According to the paper, the boy was riding with a preteen girl, headed east in the crosswalk on Conant Street at Woodruff Ave at 3:55 pm, when they were both struck by a driver turning left off westbound Conant onto Woodruff Ave.

They were taken to a local hospital, where the boy passed away. The girl remains hospitalized in stable condition with non-life threatening injuries.

Neither victim has been publicly identified.

The driver stayed at the scene.

This is the 57th bicycling fatality in Southern California this year, and the 25th in Los Angeles County.

It’s also the third bicycling death in Long Beach this year, and at least the 13th since 2011.

Update: According to the Long Beach Report, the two victims were  waiting on the sidewalk to cross Woodruff on their bikes, and didn’t enter the crosswalk until the light turned green. The driver turned into them as they were riding across the street.

Anyone with information is urged to call LBPD Collision Investigation Detail Detective Brian Watt at 562/570-7355.

My deepest sympathy and prayers for the victim and his loved ones.

 

14 comments

  1. JD says:

    We lift up our prayers for the young victim’s family and friends, and for the injured girl who survived being hit. I commuted to work on Woodruff for many years from Lakewood to Long Beach and always considered it to be very safe for a major street.

  2. knopp3x says:

    prayers for family and friend of these teenagers. My heart hurts with grief.

  3. I frequently ride in Long Beach, sometimes on Woodruff, and I think it has some of the bike infrastructure in the area. That makes this news even more tragic than usual.

    I am so sorry for the boy’s family, and I’ll pray for them.

  4. Condolences to the family and friends. So sad.

  5. Biked says:

    Yes, such horror does not make business as usual an option.

    Whoever made the mistake had no sufficient idea this could result, your work makes many aware it does, can again, so saves lives.

    Being safer can avoid being any one of these three.

  6. We drove by yesterday and just devastated by seeing this accident..Our hearts and prayers go out to the families..

  7. Marissa says:

    They both go to my school and the boy who died I used to eat breakfast with every day after Jazz Band. He was such a great friend and I wish I had the chance to tell him that before his passing. His sister is also a good friend of mine but I don’t see her around school as often since she is a grade above me. My prayers go out to both of them.

  8. Maria Mejia says:

    Please, please, slow down. Please use hands free mode while driving. Do everything you can to prevent this kind of tragedy.

    • Biked says:

      Although accidents occur from picking up dropped phone etc. the cellular industry first promoted speakerphone or headsets not actual safety advocates. Talking distracts, to anyone even just yourself but the brain is rarely as focused on the street as when biking. Those in cars turning need total concentration, need to look far ahead, beyond, before, this did not have to happen.

      I hope people follow your advice, ride on dozens of pounds not thousands, that is safest.. that is main thing to avoid killing others: bike!

  9. Amanda says:

    This is truly a parents worst nightmare, we are sick over the news. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.

  10. Charlotte Canfield says:

    May his soul and all of the souls of the blessed departed rest in His paradise

  11. He was my friend and I cryed when I heard the news, I overheard that he pushed his sister out of the way so she would not get hit even though she did, but he saved her life, in return for his. So sad We miss you!!

  12. Cathy says:

    My deepest sympathy goes out to the family. I’m so sorry for your loss and the tragedy your daughter is going through. My prayer goes out to you and your family.

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