A 13-year-old boy riding his bicycle through a Hillsborough high school parking lot was struck by an SUV Wednesday afternoon and found trapped beneath the vehicle's fender, prompting a medevac flight to a trauma center. Police say the boy is now in stable condition, though the crash remains under investigation and no charges have been filed against the driver.
According to Daily Voice, the collision happened at about 4:50 p.m. on Oct. 21, when a 2023 Mazda CX-9 driven by a 44-year-old Hillsborough woman struck the boy as he rode through the lot. Police told the outlet that responding officers found the child pinned beneath the SUV's fender when they arrived on scene.
Trapped Beneath the SUV, Then Flown for Treatment
First responders worked to free the boy from underneath the vehicle before administering first aid, the outlet's report states. He was then airlifted by a New Jersey State Police medevac helicopter to a nearby trauma center for further treatment, and police said he was in stable condition following the flight.
As of the initial reports, no charges had been filed against the driver, and the investigation into how the crash happened was still active. The same crash was separately covered by Patch, which reported that the crash investigation is ongoing and that anyone who witnessed it is encouraged to contact the Hillsborough Township Police Department.
A Pattern Seen Statewide
Crashes involving young cyclists and pedestrians are not isolated incidents in New Jersey. Nearly 6,000 crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists under 18 occurred statewide between 2016 and 2020, according to New Jersey Safe Routes. The Hillsborough crash adds to that broader toll, even as the specific circumstances of Wednesday's collision remain under review by local police.
What New Jersey Law Says About a Minor's Claim
Legal coverage of the crash from MetroLaw.com outlines how New Jersey's personal injury timelines generally work when a child is hurt. The outlet notes that New Jersey generally allows two years for an injured person to file a personal injury lawsuit, but a child's own filing deadline typically does not start running until the child turns 18, meaning a minor may be able to file a claim until around age 20 — though exceptions can apply depending on the specific facts of a case. Parents, meanwhile, may pursue their own claims for medical bills and related costs, and their two-year window can begin on the date of the injury itself, per the same report.
Separately, New Jersey law provides that a person whose cause of action accrued while they were under 18 may commence that action within the applicable statutory period after reaching adulthood, according to the New Jersey Legislature. That same statute carves out a narrower exception for medical-malpractice claims involving injuries sustained at birth, which must be filed before a minor's 13th birthday.
Settlements involving a child in New Jersey usually require court approval, MetroLaw.com's report states, with a judge reviewing whether the settlement amount is fair and potentially directing how the money is held until the child reaches adulthood. That oversight role is consistent with New Jersey court guidance: a parent or guardian may not dispose of a minor's existing tort claim without statutory or judicial approval, according to the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division. MetroLaw.com also advises families dealing with a child's injury to keep hospital bills, pediatric visit records, and follow-up therapy notes together as a case develops.
