Boy Collides With Truck

In Sledding Accident

By Andrew Gorosko

A 10-year-old boy narrowly escaped serious injury when the sled that he was riding on a snow-covered Key Rock Road collided with an approaching pickup truck, following a major snowstorm on Sunday, February 12.

Police Patrol Officer Richard Robinson, who investigated the accident, said that the unidentified boy rode the sled from his driveway at 44 Key Rock Road onto the road about 3:30 pm, traveling into the path of an approaching southbound Ford F-150 pickup truck driven by Julie Carpenter, 39, of Redding. Police declined to disclose the boy’s identity.

Officer Robinson said that the sled carrying the boy slid directly in front of Ms Carpenter’s truck as she was traveling on the snowy road.

After seeing the sledding boy, Ms Carpenter turned to the left to avoid a collision, Officer Robinson said. After spotting the oncoming truck, the boy steered to the right in seeking to avoid a crash, the policeman said.

The truck had almost come to a stop when the outer edge of its right front tire came into contact with the boy in a glancing collision, Officer Robinson said.

“Carpenter was unable to avoid striking the youth,” Officer Robinson said.

In that area, Key Rock Road is a hilly, narrow, winding street with blind curves. The accident occurred on a hazardous section of Key Rock Road, which has restricted views for motorists, Officer Robinson said. Key Rock Road links Sugar Street (Route 302) to Hattertown Road.

The boy apparently briefly lost consciousness after the accident, the policeman said.

The Newtown Volunteer Ambulance Corps responded to the accident, as did members of the Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Company. Ambulance staffers transported the boy to Danbury Hospital for treatment of head and neck pain, Officer Robinson said. The boy, who apparently suffered a minor concussion, was treated at the hospital and then released, he said.

Had the collision occurred differently than it did, the boy could have suffered serious injuries, Officer Robinson said.

Police took no enforcement action against Carpenter.

The boy, and his two parents, received verbal warnings for reckless use of the highway by a pedestrian, Officer Robinson said. The parents received the verbal warnings because the boy is a minor, he said.

The boy’s father witnessed the accident, according to police.