Child badly injured after being hit by truck at SLO County water park
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- A child on a tricycle was struck by a truck in a Lopez Lake parking lot.
- The child sustained major injuries and was airlifted to Cottage Hospital.
- CHP reported no drugs or alcohol involved; investigation remains ongoing.
A child was airlifted to a hospital with major injuries Sunday night after being hit by a truck while tricycling in the parking lot of the water park at Lopez Lake.
“This is a heart-breaking tragedy,” California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Brown said in a news release on Monday.
At approximately 6:42 p.m. on Sunday, an ambulance responded to a vehicle crash involving a child in the parking lot of Mustang Water Slides, the CHP said in the news release.
Responding officers found that the child was riding a tricycle as a Ford pickup truck was leaving the lot, according to the release.
As the truck was exiting, the driver felt an impact to his vehicle and stopped, the news release said. He got out and discovered the child under his truck, the release said.
The child was determined by San Luis Obispo County park rangers to be alert and orientated but still suffered major injuries, the release said. The child was airlifted to Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara.
“The California Highway Patrol extends their deepest sympathies to all those affected by this crash,” Brown said. “It serves as a sobering reminder of the critical importance of safe and attentive driving. We remain committed to provide the highest level of safety, service and security to the communities we serve.”
The investigation is ongoing, though drugs or alcohol were not found to be a factor in the crash. Anyone with additional information regarding the crash should call the San Luis Obispo Area California Highway Patrol office at 805-594-8700.
This story was originally published July 28, 2025 at 11:31 AM.