Washington student struck by van near high school

WASHINGTON — A juvenile bicyclist suffered minor injuries Thursday, Oct. 2, after being struck by a vehicle near Washington High School.

According to the Washington Police Department, the crash happened around 3:32 p.m. at South Avenue B and West Tyler Street. Police said Ashlee Weimer, 35, of Washington, was driving a blue Dodge Grand Caravan when she struck a student riding a bicycle.

Police logs show Weimer called in the incident, reporting that the juvenile rode out in front of her vehicle.

Washington EMS and several law enforcement officers responded to the scene. Paramedics took the student to Washington County Hospital & Clinics for evaluation. The Washington Community School District said the student’s parents were contacted right away and that the student was taken to the hospital as a precaution for what appeared to be a minor injury.

Police cited Weimer for failure to yield to a pedestrian’s right of way and said a state accident report will be filed.

The crash has renewed concerns among parents about safety for students walking and biking to and from school. Washington mother Ashley Gonterman said her own son was struck by a car while biking home from Washington Middle School on Sept. 19. He suffered scrapes and bruises and damage to his bike, but she said the incident left her deeply concerned about safety near the schools.

“There needs to be more patrol in the area when school gets out,” Gonterman said. “Maybe bikers and walkers should be dismissed earlier than those driving or riding a bus to help with the traffic. This is getting ridiculous.”

Gonterman said her son’s crash happened after he chose a different route home to avoid a classmate.

“He wasn’t as familiar with the route he ended up taking and he didn’t see the stop sign,” she said. “Apparently the lady driving the car wasn’t paying attention and hit him. He scraped up his arm that was already injured and had bruises on his legs.”

She said her family had to pay more than $100 to repair the bike and now avoids the area during dismissal times.

“If you don’t have to be in the area during the times you know school is starting and ending, stay away from that area,” Gonterman said. “Be super aware of anyone walking or on bikes. These are children who may not always be paying attention or may even be in a hurry to leave school due to bullying. You have to go slow and be extra aware of your surroundings and bikers who may appear to come out of nowhere.”

While not all accidents like these can be prevented, the Iowa Department of Transportation reminds drivers to take extra care in school zones where many children walk or bike to and from school. The department encourages motorists to slow down, obey posted speed limits, eliminate distractions such as cellphones, and stay alert near crosswalks and intersections. Drivers should yield to pedestrians and bicyclists and never pass vehicles that have stopped for someone crossing the street.

The Iowa Bicycle Coalition and University of Iowa Health Care also urge families to make safety a priority. They recommend that children wear properly fitted helmets with secure chin straps, ride on the right side of the street in the same direction as traffic, obey stop signs and signals, and use hand signals when turning or stopping.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Kruse@southeastiowaunion.com