A motorist accused of knocking a 12-year-old boy from his bicycle in Welcome Bay has been identified and is being spoken to by police.
Monique Finlayson says her son Ben had been riding home from school with a group of friends when he was clipped from behind by a car and flung from his bike onto the road.
Monique says the incident happened at about 3.15pm between Turret Road and the Maungatapu underpass.
'He sustained skin injuries to the left side of his body, he has very painful ribs and was very shocked when it happened.
'His bike is written off and needs replacing or repairing, which we think will cost a great amount of money.”
She says his leg is still very swollen and because of it he is unable to attend his clusters cross-country event.
'He's very upset as he's a top runner at Tauranga Intermediate and attends AIMS Games, so hopefully he'll recover by September.”
Monique says Ben's friends helped him onto the verge at the time of the accident, where an off-duty doctor, Michael Warren, stopped checked him over.
'He looked over my son and loaded the broken bike into to his car and brought him home to us.
'We are so grateful and can't thank him enough it's amazing how there's always gems in our community.”
She believes speed and distraction may have contributed to the accident.
'My son was wearing a helmet, it saved his life today.”
Monique has been working with CCTV teams and police to identify the woman, and says the identity of the driver has been established through two pieces of footage.
'She looked at him and sped off not pulling over to see if my son was okay or give her details. I am appalled at this behaviour.”
A police investigation into the incident has been launched.
2 comments
No room for error
Posted on 03-08-2018 15:25 | By backofthequeue
Firstly may I say how relieved I am that ben was not more seriously injured. The cycle lane where this occurred is, as a recent addition, nothing less than an accident waiting to happen and will be only the first of many more incidents to come. Travelling from Turret Road the cycle lane appears out of nowhere, immediately crosses a lane of traffic and then enters the underpass where the space provided allows no room for error for either cyclist or motorist. The cycle lane entering the underpass from Welcome Bay Road it is just as dangerous and this risk has already been raised within media. Both the provision and design of these cycle lanes is nothing less than negligence and Council need to act immediately to prevent further injury which left as is will be a certainty.
@No room for error
Posted on 05-08-2018 18:10 | By Blasta
Absolutely and unequivocally agree. This new infrastructure is brilliant and yet the council's decisions (bike and bus lanes) have been nothing but incompetence. Very frustrating, stress inducing and disappointing.
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