A 16-year-old Victoria boy has been killed after being hit by a vehicle in Arlington, Washington during the Ride to Conquer Cancer Sunday, police confirm.
Arlington Police said the boy was riding in the charity event with his mother and uncle when he tried to pass a group of riders at around 10 a.m. The boy lost balance and fell into the path of an oncoming vehicle near the intersection of Smokey Point Boulevard and 204th Street.
According to police, the vehicle was driven by a woman in her 50’s.
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The boy, who police described as a “novice cyclist,” left Mount Vernon this morning and was about halfway to the finish line when the tragic crash occurred.
The rider’s name is currently being withheld until family has been notified.
Doug Nelson, president and CEO of the BC Cancer Foundation said in a statement that safety is a top priority for the event.
Nelson said they will not be identifying the cyclist or releasing further details of the crash at the request of the family.
More than 2,600 cyclists took part in the two-day, 200-kilometre ride from Vancouver to Seattle.
This year, $10.4 million was raised for cancer research.
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