A three-year-old has died after being struck by a truck at the Raceway Park in Oyster Bed on Sunday afternoon around 1 p.m.
People interviewed at the scene said the driver of the truck was the child’s mother’s boyfriend. The family was visiting the Island for the weekend for the drag races and camping in Oyster Bed.
The 28-year-old driver of the truck was a participant in the drag races and was driving from the waiting area to the track area in his pickup truck when he accidentally struck the small boy who was riding on a bicycle at the time.
RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Leanne Butler said the driver did not see the child in his path.
The toddler was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The name of the victim is being withheld until all next of kin is notified.
Speed and alcohol are not believed to be factors in this accident, according to Butler.
The owner of Raceway Park, Kevin Power, said the accident occurred in the parking area where people camp out at the drag races.
“It happened about 25-30 feet from where they were racing. He was driving and was parking and the young boy was on a bike in front of the truck. He didn’t see him, the truck was too high,” Power said.
“Unfortunately, it was an accident and the driver just didn’t see the boy, he didn’t even know that he hit him right away. - Kevin Power, owner of Raceway Park.
There were witnesses around at the time, and Power said the accident happened in an open area.
“The RCMP interviewed quite a few people, everyone was totally shocked,” he said.
“Unfortunately, it was an accident and the driver just didn’t see the boy, he didn’t even know that he hit him right away. The driver was very quiet and reserved … it was an accident.”
The RCMP investigation is continuing.
Why do people make ridiculous comments in the wake of tragic events like this? Mandatory motions sensors by law???? Obviously the poster does not understand what actually happened here.