Teen crossing Solano hit by car

A California Highway Patrol helicopter landed in the middle of town Sunday to pick up a 14-year-old boy who was injured when struck by a car.

The accident occurred at the intersection of Solano and Sixth streets at 1:15 p.m. as Louis Rico was crossing Solano southbound on his bicycle, said Corning police Officer Craig Bassett.

It appears Rico had been waiting for the light to signal for him to cross the street and was beginning to cross when he was struck by a 2006 Buick sedan driven by Bobbie Jean Dorvall, 83, of Corning.

According to Dorvall, she had pulled up to the southbound stoplight on Sixth Street at Solano.

“I was wanting to turn right and the light was red so I stopped, saw the boy waiting at the crosswalk, looked left and pulled out,” Dorvall said.

While Dorvall was looking left, Rico began crossing the street, and as Dorvall pulled out, she struck him with her front right grill and fender, said police.

“At first I didn’t even know I had hit him,” Dorvall said. “I feel terrible. His bike was under my car and I had to pull back about a foot. I’m just glad it wasn’t the boy.”

Chela Lomeli, Rico’s sister, was standing across Solano Street when the accident happened.

“I had come out of the store and saw my brother across the street waiting to cross. I had looked away and then heard a loud commotion, but at first didn’t know what had happened and then realized he had been hit by a car,” Lomeli said.

As emergency personnel worked on Rico, placing a splint on his left leg and administering an intravenous line, the CHP helicopter circled and then landed in the empty lot at the corner of Sixth and Yolo streets.

Rico was lifted onto the helicopter and flown to Enloe Medical Center in Chico where he was treated and released.

No citation was issued by police, said Bassett.