Motorcycle crash kills 11-year-old and injures dad on Blue Ridge Parkway, officials say
An 11-year-old boy was killed and his dad injured after a crash on the Blue Ridge Parkway, officials say.
The father was driving a motorcycle in Western North Carolina last weekend when a vehicle in front of him suddenly hit the brakes, the National Park Service said Wednesday in a news release. That’s when the dad corrected, causing the bike to veer into oncoming traffic and “collide” with a pickup truck, officials said.
The boy, who was riding on the motorcycle, was airlifted to a medical center where he died, according to the park service. His father, who authorities identified as Jason Kruk, was also hurt and rushed to a hospital. Authorities did not release the name of the boy.
The two were wearing helmets, officials say.
The pickup truck driver had “minor injuries” from the incident, according to park rangers.
Officials say the motorcycle was traveling south Saturday morning before wrecking near mile marker 297.
The mountainous area is close to Blowing Rock and Julian Price Memorial Park. The park — home to a lake, hiking trails and a campground — is roughly 75 miles northeast of Asheville, the National Park Service said on its website.
This story was originally published September 9, 2020 at 3:13 PM with the headline "Motorcycle crash kills 11-year-old and injures dad on Blue Ridge Parkway, officials say."
