DELTONA — A boy seen being “dragged” under a slow-moving car was rescued when witnesses teamed up to lift the vehicle, according to investigators in Florida.
The boy was taken to a hospital and is expected to recover, the Volusia Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
It happened around 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 11, on the first day of school in Deltona. “The 14-year-old had been riding his bike to a private school, traveling east along Howland Boulevard on the sidewalk, when he approached Roble Lane,” the sheriff’s office said. “As the victim crossed Roble Lane in the crosswalk, the driver of a Kia Soul entered the crosswalk at a low speed attempting to turn onto Howland Boulevard. The vehicle struck the victim, dragged him about 15 feet, and stopped with the victim trapped under the vehicle.”
Witnesses, including a tow truck driver, rushed to the car and worked together to “lift the vehicle and move the victim to safety.” Investigators did not reveal how many people were needed to lift the Kia, which weighed nearly 3,000 pounds. “The victim was wearing a helmet. Although injured, he was still conscious on scene,” officials said. “Air One transported him as a trauma alert to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, where at last check he was in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery.”
The boy was riding an electric bike, or e-bike, which “can travel faster than traditional bicycles,” the sheriff’s office said. Investigators did not report details of charges in the case, and the driver’s identity was not released. Deltona is about a 30-mile drive northeast from Orlando.
By MARK PRICE/McClatchy News
Mark Price is a National Reporter for McClatchy News. He joined the network of newspapers in 1991 at The Charlotte Observer, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology.