Two boys were struck and injured by a vehicle that crashed near the intersection of Mendenhall Loop Road and Tongass Boulevard on Wednesday.
The older boy sustained serious injuries and was taken to Bartlett Regional Hospital, according to police, and the 11-year-old boy had “minor injuries” to his face.
The vehicle, a 2008 Toyota Highlander operated by a 36-year-old man, was heading toward the Mendenhall Glacier around 12:42 p.m. when it “drove off the road” and hit a culvert, causing the SUV to skid on its side and cross the intersection where the boys were walking, said Juneau Police Department spokesman Lt. David Campbell.
Campbell said one of the boys was able to get out of the vehicle’s direct path, but the other was hit. An official with Bartlett said Wednesday afternoon the 12-year-old boy is in stable condition and recovering at the hospital.
Campbell said the driver’s name is not being released because he hasn’t been charged with a crime, but that could soon change. The driver was the only occupant in the vehicle and was uninjured.
“There most likely will be” charges filed, Campbell said, adding that JPD will inspect the vehicle.
Campbell said it’s too early to determine what caused the crash.
• Paula Ann Solis contributed to this report.
A 2008 Toyota Highlander driven by a 36-year-old man that crashed and hit two boys near the intersection of Mendenhall Loop Road and Tongas Boulevard is shown.
