FEBRUARY 18, 2015
GRANADA HILLS, CALIFORNIA
A 17-year-old boy was fatally struck by an LADWP truck
while riding his bike a block from his high school in Granada Hills on
Wednesday afternoon, police said.
The collision occurred about 3:15 p.m. at San Fernando
Mission Boulevard and Woodley Avenue (map), according to Officer Jane Kim with
the Los Angeles Police Department’s Media Relations Section.
The 17-year-old male victim died on scene, according
to alerts from the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The victim, a student at nearby John F. Kennedy High School,
was riding southbound on Woodley when he was struck by a Los Angeles
Department of Water and Power truck going northbound on Woodley, LAPD Valley
Traffic Division Capt. John McMahon said at the scene.
An LADWP truck fatally struck a teen cyclist in Granada
Hills on Feb. 18, 2015. (Credit: KTLA)
It’s not clear what led to the collision between the truck
and the cyclist, McMahon said.
The driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with
authorities, the captain said. The DWP employee passed a field
sobriety test and alcohol screening; drugs and alcohol had been ruled out as
factors, McMahon said.
“There is no reason to believe this is anything more than a
tragedy at this point,” McMahon said. “This is a real tragedy.”
DWP issued a brief statement, saying that
a vehicle driven by an electrical construction worker was involved in the
collision.
“LADWP extends heartfelt sympathies to the family and loved
ones of the deceased,” the statement read.
Video from the scene showed several bikes lying on
the corner at the intersection, at least one of them with a mangled front tire.
A soda cup was on its side in the street.
A white tent was erected in the intersection over the hood
of the DWP pickup truck, and police were waiting for coroner’s officials to
arrive.
The intersection was expected to be closed for several
hours during the investigation.