Young Bicyclist Badly Injured; Bike Safety Urged

LONGVIEW — A teenaged bicyclist was seriously injured this week, leading Longview police to issue an advisory on bicycle safety. On Wednesday at 5:25 p.m., officers were dispatched to an accident with injuries near the intersection of Premier and Harrison Roads. When officers arrived, they found that the youth had collided with a vehicle after reportedly failing to stop at a stop sign. 14-year-old Michael David Charles Bonham of Longview had been riding his bike in the area, allegedly failed to stop at the intersection, and collided with a 1999 black Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by 21-year-old Carlos Lopez-Alvarez. Bonham was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. He was later transported to a Dallas hospital.

Longview Police want to remind citizens that a person riding a bicycle must obey the same traffic laws that vehicles are subject to. Police say drivers need to be aware of their surroundings, especially in neighborhoods or where children are playing. Bicycle riders are also encouraged to wear a bicycle helmet to help prevent head injuries. Go to http://www.nhtsa.gov/Bicycles for more information on bicycle safety.