Westminster Boy, 7, Run Over, Killed

A 7-year-old boy was fatally injured Wednesday when he was run over by a tow truck in a Westminster mobile home park, authorities said.

The accident happened about 6 p.m. at Los Alisos Mobile Home Park on Garden Grove Boulevard, where the boy lived with his mother, police said.

“It really is a sad situation,” said Lt. James Waller, a spokesman for the Westminster Police Department. “It doesn’t appear to be the driver’s fault.”

Waller said the tow truck had responded to a call in the park and was driving slowly down one of its residential streets, looking for an address, when the boy, riding a bicycle, began following closely behind. “At one point,” Waller said, “the bicyclist was following so closely that he almost ran into the back of the truck.”

After proceeding about a block, Waller said, the truck driver stopped and, thinking he had passed the address he was seeking, prepared to back up. “Apparently he didn’t see the child through his rear window or mirrors,” Waller said. “He slowly backed up and, unfortunately, ran over the child, who was killed, probably instantly. As soon as the driver felt a bump he stopped, but unfortunately, it was too late.”

No charges have been filed pending completion of the investigation, Waller said. Police did not identify the boy pending notification of his father, who was believed to be out of state.