Bicyclist Struck as Murrieta Fire Engine Leaves Station

Updated at 3:15 p.m. Nov. 18; originally published at 2:40 p.m. Nov. 18

The Murrieta Fire Department is cooperating with an investigation into an incident Monday morning that involved one of its engines striking a boy who was riding a bicycle.

The accident occurred at about 8:15 a.m. Monday in front of Fire Station No. 2 on California Oaks Road as an engine crew—with lights and sirens on—was exiting the station to respond to an emergency call, said Matt Corelli, spokesman for the Murrieta Fire Department.

“The patient, a minor riding a bicycle, was transported to Inland Valley Medical Center, was treated and is expected to recover,” Corelli said. "It is my impression that the injuries are not life-threatening."

The incident happened at the time of day during which students bike and walk to nearby schools, such as Shivela Middle School.

Corelli said that because the incident involved a Murrieta fire engine, which is considered a commercial vehicle, the California Highway Patrol is conducting a third-party investigation.

“That allows for an impartial investigation,” Corelli said. “Those findings should be released within 8 to 10 days.”

Temecula Area CHP Spokesman Nathan Baer confirmed that CHP responded and determined the boy suffered very minor injuries but was taken to the hospital because he had no parents present.

"He had a complaint of pain to his knee," Baer said.

According to Baer, CHP's preliminary investigation revealed that the fire engine was Code 3 using the appropriate lights and sirens and was inching slowly out of the station driveway.

"The juvenile was riding westbound on the south sidewalk, heading to Shivela Middle School," Baer said. "...The fire truck was already out into the number two lane of eastbound Cal Oaks and they were going to make a right turn out of the fire station.

"There was a Murrieta city police vehicle in the number one allowing the fire truck to make the right turn, when, for an unknown reason—the child may have thought they told him to go—he rode his bike into the number two lane heading the wrong way in front of the fire engine as it was trying to get out. The driver saw him and of course stopped. He was going very slow."

Baer confirmed CHP will continue its investigation. 

"We take statements from all involved parties and witnesses, we diagram the scene and make a decision of who was at fault," Baer said.

Additionally, the Murrieta Fire Department is conducting an internal investigation which involves interviewing the driver—engineer—of the engine as well as the crew, he said.

Corelli, who serves as an engineer/paramedic, said the job comes with a big responsibility. All department engineers are “vigorously trained” and hold special certifications, including from the state, he said.

“We respond to 7,000 calls a year, each with uncharacteristically different circumstances and always with the potential for something like this to happen,” Corelli said.

The Murrieta Fire Department plans to publicly share the results of CHP’s investigation, he said.