Fairfax, Virginia — A 13-year-old child riding an e-bike was fatally struck by a garbage truck while entering a crosswalk, according to police, after the truck driver allegedly looked to the left while making a turn.
The crash happened Sept. 9 in Fairfax, a city located just west of Washington, D.C. Authorities later identified the garbage truck driver as 46-year-old Lawrence Onley, who has been charged in connection with the deadly incident.
The child’s name has not been released.
Teen Was Entering Crosswalk on E-Bike
According to the Fairfax City Police Department, Onley was driving a garbage truck and leaving a shopping center when he approached a turn onto the 3900 block of Pickett Road.
A crosswalk was located at the intersection. Police said the teenager had been riding a “pedal-assist e-bike” on a sidewalk before entering the crosswalk.
As Onley prepared to make the turn, investigators say he looked to the left. He then allegedly “pulled forward into the roadway,” striking the child.
The teenager suffered fatal injuries in the collision.
Police Responded to Report of Crash
Officers were called to the area after receiving a report of a motor vehicle crash involving a teenager “and a large truck.” When police arrived, the child was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators began searching for the vehicle involved in the crash and later located a truck “matching the description of the vehicle involved.”
Police identified Onley as the driver and continued investigating the circumstances surrounding the collision. The investigation initially included the possibility that the crash could have been a hit-and-run.
However, authorities later said information gathered during the investigation changed their understanding of what happened.
Driver Allegedly Did Not Know Teen Was Struck
According to police, “information developed during the investigation indicated the driver was unaware that the truck had struck the juvenile at the time of the crash.”
That information became an important part of the investigation as detectives worked to determine what happened immediately before and after the collision.
Police said Onley eventually turned himself in to authorities. He was arrested and booked into the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.
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Driver Faces Two Charges
Onley has been charged with careless driving and infliction of injury or death on vulnerable road users, according to the Fairfax City Police Department. He was issued a $1,500 bond following his arrest.
The charges stem from the Sept. 9 crash and remain allegations at this stage. The case is being reviewed by the Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office. Police said Onley has a pending court date, although the date was not immediately available.
Investigation Into Deadly Crash Continues
The circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation as authorities review the driver’s actions, the teenager’s movement through the crosswalk and other details surrounding the collision.
The death has also renewed attention on the risks faced by cyclists and other vulnerable road users at busy intersections, where drivers and riders must navigate turns and crossings at the same time.
For the family and community, the crash has left a teenager dead and investigators working to establish the full sequence of events that led to the collision.
What are your thoughts on this tragic Virginia crash? Do you think more safety measures are needed at crosswalks where cyclists and vehicles share the roadway? Share your thoughts in the comments.
