Teen boy hit by pickup remains hospitalized

A 14-year-old San Jose boy remains hospitalized with a serious head injury after being struck by a truck last week on Tully Road, according to police and the teen's family. The boy's family identified him as Angel Hernandez Perez, an eighth-grade student at Ocala Middle School.

On April 16, 2012, Angel was riding his bike west on Tully Road with the flow of traffic when he crossed the street near Sherlock Drive and into the flow of traffic heading east. Angel was struck by a Toyota pickup truck driven by a 34-year-old San Jose man.

Angel was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, police said. The police investigation revealed the driver was not at fault.

Angel's sister, Viviana Hernandez, said the intracranial pressure on her brother's brain is at its maximum level and doctors are waiting for the pressure to go down.

This tragic event serves as a good reminder for all bicyclists, young and old, to wear helmets while cycling. The law requires that those under 18 years old wear helmets. It is also important for adults to follow the rules of the road and to teach their children the importance of doing the same.