Car and Young Bicyclist Collide in Strawberry

An 11-year-old boy was taken to the hospital with head and possible spinal injuries after he collided with a car heading in the opposite direction on Ricardo Lane near , police said.

The incident occurred at around 2:30 p.m. as the boy was heading eastbound and down the hill on Ricardo, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Eric Hohmeister. As he approached East Strawberry Road, he crossed over the double yellow lines and into the westbound lane in advance of turning left onto East Strawberry, Hohmeister said.

When he did that, the bicyclist struck a gold 1997 Lexus ES 300 being driven by Barbara Wellbeloved, a 71-year-old Strawberry resident. Wellbeloved made a right turn from East Strawberry Drive onto Ricardo Lane when the bicyclist struck the left front side of her Lexus, Hohmeister said. The boy was tossed from his bicycle, hitting the hood of the Lexus before falling to the ground on the passenger side of the Lexus.

Hohmeister said the boy sustained moderate injuries to his head and was taken to Marin General Hospital by Southern Marin Fire Department paramedics for treatment for possible spinal injuries.

Witnesses at the scene reported that the bicyclist was not wearing a helmet, Hohmeister said. Police are investigating the crash but intoxication is not suspected as a factor in the collision, he said.