By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
A 13-year-old Centralia boy was seriously injured when he fell from the back of a pickup truck onto state Route 507 near Bucoda last night.
Firefighters were called to the scene at 8:06 p.m. at the 20100 block of the highway, just south of town, according to authorities.
“From my understanding, he was in the bed, and mom and grandma were hauling hay,” Trooper Shaneka Phillips said this morning. “He was very critical, at the time, he had life-threatening injuries.”
The boy, who is un-named, was transported to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Phillips said she didn’t know the child’s condition this morning.
The investigating trooper reports the 2010 Ford F150 pickup truck was southbound at a slow rate of speed when it happened.
Brenda L. Cleveland, 36, was driving and her passengers also included Debbie Morsbach, 57, and a 10-year-old boy, all from Centralia, according to the state patrol.
The cause is under investigation. Trooper Phillips said as of this morning, there was no reason to suspect any criminal or malicious behavior.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
No criminal behavior? Seat belt laws don’t apply to teens in the back of open pick up trucks? Sorry that is criminal.
RCW 46.61.660 (pasted below) prohibits a driver from allowing anyone to ride in the bed of a pickup. This and other rules of the road can be viewed in Chapter 46.61 of the Revised Code of Washington, also available at the state legislature’s website at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.61. In addition to the rule pasted below, letting kids ride in the back of a pickup violates RCW 46.61.688, which prohibits transporting children under 16 who are not properly seatbelted and/or in carseats depending on their age. In addition, all passengers are required by law to wear seatbelts. Youths 16 and over are still required to wear seatbelts and can be cited for failing to do so.
In addition to being illegal, letting kids ride in the back of a pickup puts them at very high risk for injury or death in the event of a collision. See the following links for more information on proper vehicle safety for children passengers, including the high risks associated with riding in pickup beds:
http://www.childrenshospital.org/az/Site1314/mainpageS1314P1.html.
http://www.chp.edu/CHP/P02986
OMG!! Brenda!! If there is ANYTHING we can do for you or DJ, please please let us know!!! We are praying for you!! Lloyd, Connie, Ted, and Pat