Tragic death of 8-year-old cyclist in Longmont

From Daily Times Call

LONGMONT, Colo. — An eight-year-old girl is dead after being hit by a truck while riding a bicycle alongside her step-father.

The crash happened around 3:20 p.m. near the intersection of 17th Avenue and Alpine Street in Longmont.

Emergency crews at the scene performed CPR on the child, but she died after being taken to Longmont United Hospital.

A 20-year-old driver of the Ford pick-up truck stayed at the scene and cooperated with the investigation, police say. He was released pending further investigation.

The girl and her step-father were westbound on 17th Avenue crossing at Alpine Street, according to Longmont Police. Police earlier had reported the pair were each heading northbound on Alpine Street when the girl was hit by the truck as it was making a turn from northbound Alpine Street to eastbound 17th Avenue.

Police aren’t saying much officially, but one witness told FOX31 Denver’s Kent Erdahl he saw the girl take off after the pickup already started turning.

“The guy in the pickup pulled up, stopped, had his blinker on… started turning… the little girl, took off, the father stayed. The next thing, the little girl got hit. She kind of rolled over to the side and that’s when the back tire ran over her,” said Larry Fry.

Fry said the truck driver stayed on scene and both him and the father were visibly distraught.

“This happens too many times because kids don’t have the fear of getting hurt and they don’t know what it’s like. It’s a second later and they’re gone from this world,” said Fry. “I feel sorry for the parents and I feel sorry for the truck driver because their lives are completely destroyed right now.”

Longmont Police say they have not yet determined the traffic light sequencing as of Friday evening.

Both the child and the driver were residents of the city of Longmont.