Frightening Moment
Pedestrian injured in New Year's Eve collision
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com

A crowd quickly began to gather in the 100 block of South Mechanic on New Year's Eve afternoon following the collision between a pickup truck and a bicycle. A 40-year-old handicapped El Campo man was flown via Life Flight helicopter to the trauma center at Houston's Memorial Hermann Hospital. The cause of the collision is still under investigation by the El Campo Police Department. As of presstime Friday, no citations or charges had been issued. L-N Photo by Shannon Crabtree

El Campo police and EMS units raced to the 100 block of South Mechanic New Year's Eve to the report of a bicyclist down, struck by a vehicle.

Soon a Life Flight helicopter ambulance was summoned to the fire department's training field and asked to whisk a 40-year-old handicapped El Campo man to the trauma center at Houston's Memorial Hermann Hospital.

The incident occurred around 2 p.m. New Year's Eve. The late night party crowd made it through the night unscathed.

El Campo Police Officer Arnold Terrazas is investigating the incident.

The collision between the cyclist and the vehicle appeared to be low impact, he said, adding the victim didn't not appear to have been thrown any distance.

"He was crossing the roadway and the truck hit him," he told the Leader-News later that afternoon.

A small bottle of window cleaner rested on the street just in front of the Greek Brother's Oyster Bar & Saloon.

As a small crowd began to gather, EMS personnel on the scene made the decision to summon Life Flight.

The man, reportedly a deaf mute, was unable to convey information on his condition to those attempting to help.

By Thursday, he had already been released from Memorial Hermann Hospital, according to a spokesperson there. "He sustained two broken ribs," Terrazas said. "It wasn't too bad. He managed to do okay."

No citations or charges had been issued as of presstime Friday. Terrazas declined to identify the woman driving the truck, saying he didn't want to release that information until his investigation was complete.

"I haven't had a chance to talk to all the witnesses," he added.