Northridge 7-Year-Old Struck by Auto, Dies

The 7-year-old son of a Los Angeles city firefighter was killed outside his Northridge home Tuesday when he ran between two parked cars into the street and was struck by an oncoming vehicle, authorities said.

Luke Gaines, a first-grader at St. John Eudes Catholic School in Chatsworth, was hit by a sports utility vehicle driven by an 18-year-old who did not see the boy as he darted into traffic in the 18000 block of Los Alimos Street, said Los Angeles Fire Department Capt. Steve Ruda.

After an investigation at the scene, no charges were filed against the driver, Ruda said.

“Luke is your classic rambunctious 7-year-old,” said Ruda, a longtime friend of the Gaines family.

“It’s an absolute tragedy.”

The accident occurred at 8 a.m. as Luke was getting ready to go to school, Ruda said.

His father, Mark Gaines, was pouring concrete for a patio and was the first to respond after his son was pinned underneath a wheel of the SUV, Ruda said.

“Mark moved the car off his son and gave him CPR,” Ruda said. “With all the excitement, Luke probably wasn’t watching the road.”

Luke was airlifted to Granada Hills Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Ruda said.

Luke was the eldest of five children. His youngest brother, Jack, was just born three weeks ago, Ruda said.