14-year-old bike rider in surgery after he was struck by vehicle

A 14-year-old boy is in surgery at Regions Hospital in St. Paul after he was hit by a vehicle while riding his bike to school, said Lt. Brian Sturgeon of the West St. Paul Police Department.

By Tim Harlow, Star Tribune

Last update: September 14, 2007 - 1:29 PM

A 14-year-old boy was in surgery at Regions Hospital in St. Paul after he was hit by a vehicle while riding his bike to school, said Lt. Brian Sturgeon of the West St. Paul Police Department.

The boy, who is in eighth grade, was on his way to Heritage Middle School when he was struck at 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of Moreland Avenue and Bidwell Street, Sturgeon said.

The intersection is controlled by four stop signs. A woman in the vehicle that struck the boy had stopped at the stop sign. She hit the boy as she proceeded through the intersection, Sturgeon said.

Sturgeon said the driver was not cited and it did not appear to have broken any traffic laws.

The boy was taken to Regions Hospital and was undergoing emergency surgery. His condition was not known, Sturgeon said.

Chris Hiti, principal at the school, said counselor teams were in place to meet with students who were troubled by the incident and want to talk about it. The school also was reviewing safety rules with students.

"We are reminding students to watch for cars when coming to or going from school," Hiti said. "They are at an age where they trust drivers will stop or see them. It's never too much to review safety rules."

The State Patrol was called in to assist police in reconstructing the accident, Sturgeon said.

Tim Harlow • harlow@startribune.com