A South Surrey father continues to push for answers after his son was injured while riding his bike in White Rock.
Kevin Larkin told Peace Arch News last week that his nine-year-old son was clipped by a white SUV while riding his bike on July 22 near Goggs Avenue and Best Street, however White Rock RCMP have insisted that there was no hit-and-run and have proceeded to close the file.
In a recorded phone message Larkin received Friday, a caller who identified himself as a White Rock RCMP sergeant said the file has been closed because Larkin’s son admitted to officers that it was his own fault he was hit.
“Just wish to advise you that despite your concern, the information provided by your son was very clear with respect that he entered the roadway and that it was his fault and that he glanced off the rear end of a moving vehicle before he fell off his bike,” said the voicemail.
“It is not a hit-and-run as you suggest in that manner and it’s not being investigated as such, and our file is concluded, sir. Have a good day.”
In an interview on Aug. 5, RCMP Const. Shaileshni Molison told PAN the incident was thoroughly investigated and was “most definitely not a hit-and-run,” but was a case of a child falling into a parked car.
Repeated calls to White Rock RCMP this week were not returned by PAN press time Wednesday afternoon.
Larkin has also reached out to Surrey-White Rock MLA Gordon Hogg and South Surrey-White Rock-Cloverdale MP Russ Hiebert. He said he was told by Hogg to try and speak with the White Rock RCMP staff sergeant in person and find a resolution.
However, Larkin said he has been unable to connect.
“It seems like they hope that I’ll just give up and it will go away,” he said.
Larkin added that he wanted answers as to why the driver would not be reprimanded, after leaving the scene of a collision that caused his son’s front tire and handle bars to turn around and left the boy with visible scrapes and bruises.
“A bike hits your car, you know it,” he said. “If you’re in a motor-vehicle accident, regardless of whose at fault, as far as I can tell, both parties are required to stop. If one leaves the scene, that satisfies the definition of a hit-and-run.”
Since the initial PAN article was published on Aug. 7, Larkin noted he has received a tremendous amount of support from friends and even strangers.
“I had one woman come up to me and say ‘don’t give up,’” Larkin said. “Like I said before, I’m not going to let this one go. I’ll call every day.
“The RCMP have no answers for us because they closed the report before they even looked for the driver of the SUV.”