CORONA: 3-year-old riding bicycle inside private community fatally struck by SUV

CORONA — Officials are investigating after a 3-year-old boy was fatally struck by an SUV while riding his bike in south Corona last night. The deadly accident happened on the 900 block of Mathews Place inside the Gallery private community, which is southeast of Magnolia and Fullerton Avenues.

Corona Police and Fire Departments along with other emergency first responders were dispatched to the private community shortly after 5:30 p.m., after City of Corona emergency dispatchers received a frantic 911 call reporting a young child struck by a vehicle, Corona Police Public Information Officer Chad Fountain explained after the deadly incident.

When officials arrived they found a toddler who had sustained major, traumatic injuries. Paramedics immediately began life saving efforts before rushing the boy to Corona Regional Medical Center.

“Corona Fire Paramedics transported the child to a local hospital where (he) was pronounced deceased,” Fountain explained.

Although coroner’s officials have identified the victim and his parents have been notified, they have not yet publicly released the boy’s name.

Based on the circumstances, Corona PD’s Collision Response Team responded to the scene and assumed the investigation.

Officers interviewed witnesses and the driver, who remained at the scene and was cooperating with the investigation. Based on witness statements, officers determined the toddler was riding a bicycle on Mathews Place “when a green Mazda SUV and the child collided,” Fountain explained. The driver of the SUV was not injured in the collision.

The investigation is ongoing and officers are still working to determine if drug or alcohol intoxication were contributing factors in the fatal accident. No arrests have been made.

Anyone with information about this investigation or who witnessed the collision is encouraged to contact Corona PD Traffic Investigator Tim Najmulski at (951) 817-5844 or via email.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, who recently moved from Riverside County to Shasta County, runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for Riverside County based newspapers Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.