A 9-year-old boy was killed, and a 10-year-old boy was critically injured after being struck by a car in Elyria Saturday evening, according to the Elyria Police Department.
The family of the 9-year-old identified him as Bryant Tide Bartlett and said everyone called the child Tide.
They shared photos of Tide with News 5 Sunday evening.
Just before 6 p.m., Elyria police officers, Elyria Fire and Life Care Paramedics responded to an injury accident at the 100 block of Burns Road.
Police say officers determined the driver of a 2001 Jeep SUV was traveling eastbound on Burns Road and attempted to maneuver the car around two boys who were riding their bikes on the road.
The boys, ages 9 and 10, changed their direction and collided with the Jeep, police said.
Authorities say first responders provided emergency medical aid to the boys for serious life-threatening injuries.
The 9-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead on the scene.
The 10-year-old boy was transported by Life Care Ambulance to University Hospitals, then airlifted by Elyria Medical Center to UH Rainbows and Babies Children's Hospital, police said.
“I feel horrible for the family and the [neighbors] that were down there assisting before the first responders got [there]," said Burns Road neighbor Jeff Baxter. "It’s a horrible thing.”
Authorities say the driver was uninjured and did not require any medical attention. The crash remains under investigation, and no charges have been filed.
"This was a tragic accident, and the Elyria Police Department would like to express our deepest condolences to all those affected by the incident," Captain James Welsh said in a statement.
Neighbors told News 5 they've had safety concerns on Burns Road over speeding vehicles, a blind spot created by a hill, no sidewalks and narrow shoulders.
“There’s always been excessive speed on that road, even going back 40-some years,” Baxter said.
He said the busy 25mph road was off-limits when his children were young. He set boundaries with the road when they were older.
“When my girls started driving, they had to turn to the right. I wouldn’t let [them] try to turn left because of cars coming over that hill. It’s that hard to see,” he said.
Other neighbors echoed the concerns.
“There’s no sidewalks here. Most of the drivers, I’d say 90% of them, don’t drive the speed limit. It’s supposed to be 25,” said neighbor Rich Rusnik.
He told News 5 a nearby park draws walkers and bikers and encourages them to use his yard to create some distance from traffic.
“You’ll see a lot of kids with basketballs, they’re walking up here to go play basketball, kids riding bikes here,” he said.
Neighbors said they believe the recent tragedy adds urgency to their concerns.
“Speed bumps would help, police presence for awhile to kind of slow this traffic down,” said Rusnik.
Baxter added, “I think some of us are going to give a call [to the city] and see what we can start.”
Elyria Police said there have not been an abundance of crashes or traffic complaints from neighbors on Burns Rd. The department said it's been proactive with traffic enforcement in the area and plans to use its traffic unit to continue crash prevention.
The family of Tide Bartlett shared an online fundraiser created to offset the costs of his funeral services and support the family. You can find more information by CLICKING HERE.
Elyria PD says more information will be released Monday, Oct. 14.
