By Nigel Maxwell

Big River Mayor responds to tragic crash

Aug 18, 2016 | 11:02 AM

There are more questions than answers following the death of a five-year-old boy in Big River.

The young boy, who was riding his bicycle Tuesday night, was struck by a vehicle on a stretch of Highway 55.

The crash happened less than 30 feet from Mayor Robert Buckingham’s driveway.

“We just heard a loud bang, and then when we saw the ambulance show up there, we went out there to check it out,” he said.

Buckingham said when he approached the crash scene, the young boy was lying on the ground, not moving.

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“The first responders or the paramedics were working on him when we got to the scene and then they took him away, and they were still giving him CPR as they took him away,” he said.

The boy would be pronounced dead in hospital.

Buckingham said during his term as mayor, there have been discussions with RCMP regarding the safety of Highway 55, which runs right through the middle of the town.

“There is lots of large truck traffic since the forest industry has picked up, and we have lots of that type of traffic going through town and it is a very busy stretch of highway,” he said.

Buckingham added Big River has also had issues with illegal parking on the road, reducing visibility. He did not think, however, this did not apply in this case.

The vehicle which hit the boy did not stop and was located by police at a business in the community. Two people, a man and a woman, were taken into custody.

RCMP have not said whether charges will be laid.

nmaxwell@panow.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell