An 11-year-old boy has been left with serious, life-changing injuries after swerving to avoid a car and falling into a river while cycling in Okehampton, West Devon.
The young cyclist was riding on Rockey Lane/Harper’s Hill in Northlew when the incident took place on the afternoon of Sunday 27 February.
He was descending towards a bridge over the River Lew and was forced to take evasive action to avoid an oncoming motorist driving a blue car.
The boy swerved, crashing into a hedge before ending up in the river below. According to police, he suffered serious and life-changing injuries in the fall.
The driver failed to stop at the scene. Officers from the Roads Policing Unit who are investigating the cause of the collision say they are keen to speak to the motorist as well as anyone else who may have witnessed the incident.
Any witnesses or anyone with dash cam footage the collision have been asked to telephone 101, quoting Log 231 March 14, 2022.
11 thoughts on “11-year-old cyclist suffers life-changing injuries after swerving to avoid motorist and landing in river”
Heart breaking.
Heart breaking.
Most people who have cameras
Most people who have cameras will have deleted the footage by now, or it has been overwritten. If they want a video the police need to ask immediately. Our thoughts are with the young boy and his family.
Look at the reference
Look at the reference (quoting Log 231 March 14, 2022. )if it happened on the 27th Feb WTAF is the log dated 2.5 weeks later?
I’m hoping there is an innocent explanation as Bob.S says most of the footage will be long gone.
Secret_squirrel wrote:
Never be quick to attribute to maliciousness something that can be explained by sheer incompetence 😉
That makes me very angry.
That makes me very angry.
What kind of scum drives off
What kind of scum drives off after running a child off the road. I hope the boys family find the driver before the police do.
Muddy Ford wrote:
Unfortunately there are a growing number of people who will quite happily laugh at cyclists who are involved in accidents rather than help.
I hope they find the people who were driving.
and in my recent experience
and in my recent experience laugh whilst swerving at you. Absolute scumbags, not being the smallest of cyclists i’d love to have a “face to face” discussion about their behaviour
That’s disgraceful behaviour
That’s disgraceful behaviour by the motorist. Leaving a child injured is appalling.
OldRidgeback wrote:
I agree, though I’d add that leaving anyone injured is appalling.
Unfortunately, the petition to re-work the laws around leaving the scene of a collision was deemed unnecessary by our political leaders and so there is a clear incentive for drivers to leave the scene if they are under the influence of drink or drugs.
Personally, I think that someone found guilty of leaving the scene should never be allowed to drive again, but maybe that’s just me.
Yes, yes and yes.
Yes, yes and yes.