Bicyclist, 13, Struck by BMW in Crosswalk in Southern Marin

By Jim Welte 

A 13-year-old Tam Valley resident on his way to school was struck and injured by a BMW Friday morning while crossing Shoreline Hwy. in a crosswalk at Pine Hill Rd., an intersection due to get a new street-level flashing beacon after public outcry to make it safer for kids to get to school.

California Highway Patrol officers and Marin County Fire paramedics were called to the intersection at around 7:50 a.m. Friday, with , according to CHP spokesman Andrew Barclay.

The boy was riding his bicycle to school and was in the crosswalk with another boy who was not on a bicycle, with a crossing guard watching over the scene, Barclay said. According to witness reports, the guard was standing in the middle of the intersection with a hand-held stop sign, and all northbound traffic had stopped to let the boys cross. The guard then noticed that a 2002 BMW 325 heading southbound was not slowing down as it approached.

The crossing guard shouted for the children to watch out but was unable to stop them all before the BMW being driven by 30-year-old Anne Rothmann of San Francisco, hit the bicyclist, Barclay said. Rothmann declined to provide a statement to CHP officers, Barclay said.

The boy was treated at the scene by paramedics for minor injuries and released to the custody of the CHP, who stayed with him until a parent picked him up.

The intersection where the incident occurred is due to have a street-level flashing beacon installed in the coming months to allow pedestrians and bicyclist to cross Shoreline at Pine Hill more safely.

According to Bob Goralka, the county's traffic and transportation planning division manager, the project will likely be finished in November. The project has a $130,000 budget – $85,000 from the Transportation Authority of Marin and $45,000 from the county – and bid are due from contractors Friday.

The Marin Board of Supervisors gave the project the green light on Sept. 10.