BRADFORD — A Bradford boy was killed when he reportedly rode his bicycle into the path of an oncoming pickup truck around 6:30 p.m. Monday.
Witnesses to the crash said that the youth, identified as D.J. Hawes, 12, was riding his bicycle with another boy, believed to be his younger brother, in an alley. The boys were traveling south with D.J. in the lead when he apparently failed to stop and rode directly into the path of an oncoming westbound 1993 GMC pickup truck. The younger boy was not injured.
The impact knocked Hawes off the bicycle, and he apparently struck his head on the pavement. He was not wearing a helmet.
He was reported to be unconscious when the Bradford Rescue Squad arrived. CareFlight was immediately summoned, and the boy was transported to Bradford School, where a landing zone was set up and the boy was flown to a Dayton hospital.
Lt. Mike Whaley of the Miami County Sheriff’s Office reported that Hawes died from his injuries. Whaley said that speed, alcohol or drugs were not a factor in the crash, only the boy riding into the path of the truck.
Crash reconstructionists from the Miami County Sheriff’s Offices were called to the scene to investigate.
