A 13-year-old was killed after a garbage truck driver turned into a crosswalk and struck the teen, who was riding an e-bike, according to police in Fairfax, Virginia.
Lawrence Onley, 46, now faces charges of careless driving and causing injury or death to a vulnerable road user, the Fairfax City Police Department said. He was taken into custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and released on a $1,500 bond.
The crash happened on Sept. 9 as Onley was driving a garbage truck out of a shopping center in Fairfax, a city just outside Washington, D.C. Police said he was making a turn onto the 3900 block of Pickett Road, an area that includes a marked crosswalk.
According to investigators, Onley had looked to his left before beginning the turn. At the same time, the teenager was riding a pedal-assist e-bike along the sidewalk and moved into the crosswalk. Police allege Onley then “pulled forward into the roadway,” striking the child.
Officers were called to the scene after a report came in describing a crash between a teen and “a large truck.” The child was declared dead at the scene.
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Investigators later located a truck that matched the description given by witnesses, which led them to identify Onley as the driver involved. The case was initially treated as a possible hit-and-run, but police said evidence gathered during the investigation suggested Onley hadn’t realized at the time that his truck had struck the teenager.
Onley eventually turned himself in and was arrested. The Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office is reviewing the case.
Police confirmed Onley has an upcoming court date, though the exact date has not yet been released.
