Police say one youth was taken to hospital with serious injuries Thursday (May 13) after colliding with a car while longboarding on Buena Vista Avenue.
The incident occurred around 4 p.m., at Blackwood Street.
Staff Sgt. Kale Pauls said the youth was travelling “at a relatively fast pace” down Buena Vista when he hit a car that was pulling out of a side street.
“The youth was wearing a helmet, but suffered serious injury that required a visit to the hospital,” Pauls said.
White Rock resident Fiona MacDermid said she was out for a walk when she heard what she thought was a car hitting another car. She didn’t see what unfolded, but turned at the sound, and “I just saw the poor kid under the car,” she said.
“He was right under the middle of the van,” she added.
Crescent Beach resident Sandi Arnold said she and a friend drove past the scene “seconds” after it happened, while on their way to have a belated Mother’s Day dinner at the beach.
The pair immediately pulled over and helped free the injured teen, she said.
“About five or six of us lifted up the vehicle with just pure adrenaline,” Arnold said. “We pulled him out by his feet.”
Arnold said the teen had been skateboarding, not longboarding, and that she believed the collision was “just a fluke thing.” She noted that bushes at that particular intersection make it difficult for drivers pulling out to see what’s coming down Buena Vista.
She’s since been told the injured teen suffered a concussion, but no broken bones, she added.
Pauls said investigation is ongoing. He noted that some areas of White Rock, including most of Buena Vista Avenue, have a bylaw that prohibits longboarding.
According to the Street and Traffic Bylaw, the city’s ‘no skateboard area’ is bounded by Oxford Street to the west, North Bluff Road to the north, Best Street to the east and Buena Vista Avenue to the south.
tholmes@peacearchnews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
