Teenage cyclist injured in crash on his way to Berkeley High
The 16-year-old was taken to Highland Hospital for assessment.
Police are investigating a car crash involving a teenage cyclist heading to Berkeley High School on Monday morning, authorities report.
The 16-year-old was taken to Highland Hospital "Code 2" (without lights and sirens) for assessment. He had no broken bones but was undergoing further tests as of Monday afternoon, authorities said.
The collision happened at about 9:50 a.m. Monday at Russell and Adeline streets in South Berkeley, Berkeley police said.
The cyclist was westbound on Russell and the driver, a woman in her 80s, was southbound on Adeline Street, based on the preliminary investigation, police said.
The teenager may have run a stop sign, but police have not determined an official cause, authorities said.
Emergency dispatches reviewed by The Scanner noted windshield "starring," a spiderweb pattern of cracks in the glass that indicates impact.
The teenager did not lose consciousness at the scene, based on initial reports.
The driver was estimated to have been traveling 20-25 mph, according to emergency dispatches. She remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation, police said.
Liza Lutzker, a member of Walk Bike Berkeley and a city Transportation and Infrastructure Commission member, has urged the city to take concrete steps to prevent future crashes in the area.
"Our school-age youth and vulnerable road users remain at daily risk of life-altering injury or death because street designs consistently prioritize driver speed and convenience over human life," she wrote in an email Monday to South Berkeley Councilman Ben Bartlett. "Adeline Street remains a known hazard, and proactive, aggressive interventions are urgently needed before another child is hurt."
She asked Bartlett to get details from police about "the circumstances of the crash, the condition of the injured teenager, the status of any citation or investigation regarding the driver’s speed and conduct, as well as any aspects of the intersection design that were noted to be problematic."
