Boy's trick riding blamed in crash

WEST JORDAN — A 12-year-old boy riding on the front pegs of his bicycle was hit and killed Wednesday afternoon when he lost control and turned into an oncoming vehicle.

The boy was riding down an incline just after 3:30 p.m. near 5200 South and 6500 West. He was riding on the pegs of his bike coming off his front tire, said West Jordan police Sgt. Greg Butler.

The boy was traveling at a fairly good speed, according to witnesses, when he lost control and made a hard left, Butler said. He was struck by a SUV driven by a 33-year-old woman and died of massive head injuries, he said.

Butler suggested a helmet might have saved the boy.

Alcohol and speed by the SUV driver did not appear to be factors in the accident. But as is standard with any fatal accident in West Jordan, the driver's blood-alcohol content will be checked before any determination on whether or not to file charges is made. Those test results should be known in a few weeks, Butler said.

Butler cautions all bicycle riders to wear helmets and save trick riding for appropriate areas, such as bike parks, rather than the road.

Police will not release the name of the victim because he is a juvenile.