Community members and classmates of a 12-year-old boy fatally struck by an SUV Thursday gather at the scene of the incident. Photos by Curtis Herod.
Community members gathered at the corner of Woodruff Avenue and Conant Street today, mourning the death of a boy who was killed Thursday afternoon when an SUV hit both him and his sister while they were riding their bikes.
The siblings, a 13-year-old girl and 12-year-old boy, were Lakewood residents, officials said. Their names were not released.
Nearly a dozen community members gathered at the scene around noon Friday, including classmates of the middle school boy. They described him as a creative and happy kid. The moms accompanying them described the area as one where motorists drive fast, prone to fender-bender accidents but never an incident such as this one.
The incident was reported at 3:55PM Thursday, November 9, near Woodruff Avenue and Conant Street, according to the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD).
Officials said the young bicyclists were on the sidewalk on the southwest corner of the intersection waiting to cross Woodruff. When the light turned green they started crossing the south crosswalk when the driver of a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban traveling west on Conant made a left-hand turn onto southbound Woodruff on a green light, hitting them.
Arriving officers found the boy lying in the southbound No. 1 lane of Woodruff, just south of Conant. The girl was sitting on the west curb of Woodruff and the Suburban was stopped in the No. 1 lane of Woodruff.
When paramedics arrived, they transported the siblings to a local hospital where the boy later died. The girl was treated and later released from the hospital.
The driver, identified as a 39-year-old Lakewood man, remained at the scene and cooperated with police. He had a valid driver’s license and insurance, according to officials. His juvenile son was in the SUV at the time of the incident, but was not injured.
Anyone who may have information regarding this incident is asked to call Long Beach Police Department Collision Investigation Detail Detective Brian Watt at (562) 570-7355.
Curtis Herod contributed to this report.