Nationally competitive cyclist, 14, injured in Saanich hit and run
Saanich police are seeking the vehicle in the alleged incident and its driver
A nationally competitive, teenage cyclist was injured in an alleged hit-and-run collision in Saanich, B.C. on Friday.
The incident left Megan Barnes, 14, lying in a ditch with minor injuries. She said her race bike, worth thousands of dollars, was totalled.
In a statement, police said a pickup truck hit Barnes from behind on Willis Point Road west of Wallace Drive just after 4 p.m. PT.
"I thought I'd been hit by a car, but it didn't feel the way I think it would have felt," the cyclist said. "I guess there was just so much adrenaline that I didn't feel as much pain as I thought I would have."
Police said witnesses reported "a short interaction" between Barnes and the driver before the collision.
'She's a real trooper'
Barnes' mother said she was initially shocked to hear about the incident, but that quickly changed to confusion and frustration that someone is accused of leaving her daughter in a ditch.
"She's back at school today, so she's doing well," Sherry Barnes told All Points West host Robyn Burns. "She's pretty excited to get back on her bike and get back to her training. … She's a real trooper."
The athlete was training for a race in Vancouver at the end of the month. She's dropped out due to her injuries.
Her coach is furious about the collision, saying Barnes did everything right.
"There's a shoulder there [on the road], there's a line, she was in the bike lane," Lister Farrar said.
Saanich police are looking for the truck and its driver.
The vehicle is described as a newer model, charcoal grey Dodge Dakota with wooden panels on the side of the box, according to the statement.
Const. Maks Vartanov said the driver was described as a blonde woman of average height, possibly heavier-set.
Anyone with information is asked to call Saanich police at (250) 475-4321 or Crimestoppers to remain anonymous.
Listen to the complete interview with Sherry Barnes, Megan's mother, here:
With files from Chek News and CBC Radio One's All Points West