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Pedestrian severely injured after being hit by city truck

E-mail|Link November 11, 2009 01:05 PM

John Tlumacki/Globe Staff

The driver of the Boston Public Works truck was escorted to an ambulance after the accident. The bikes in the foreground belonged to Boston police officers who responded to the scene.

By David Abel, Globe Staff

A woman has been rushed to Tufts Medical Center with life-threatening injuries after she was hit by a city truck on a downtown street, Boston police said this morning.

The victim, who suffered head injuries, was walking across the street when she was hit by the vehicle at Tremont and Winter streets at about 11:20 a.m.

Steven James, 35, of Mattapan, like many others, was waiting for the annual Veterans Day parade, which was supposed to go down the same route.

"She flew in the air, probably six feet," said James, who was holding an American flag. "It was a terrible sight."

A Ford pickup truck with Boston Public Works insignia on it remained at the scene, which is in front of the Park Street station subway kiosk. It had visible front-end damage. The driver was being interviewed by authorities. The victim's name and age were not immediately released.

Timmy Conlon, 28, of South Boston was drinking coffee with Diana Fitzpatrick, 32, of Everett, in a nearby Dunkin' Donuts when the crash occurred. They said they saw an older woman wearing jeans, black shirt, blue jacket, with a black pocketbook, crossing Tremont Street towards Boston Common when she was hit by the front driver's side of the truck.

"It was very traumatizing," said Fitzpatrick. "It sticks with me. I feel very sad. I just feel sorry for the family."

Bobby Moran, 53, a vendor for Mr. Gourmet across the street, said he didn't hear any screeching before the woman was hit. "It just sounded like 'boom,'" he said. "The lady went down and never regained consciousness. She never moved."

Rob McIntyre, 47, a vendor for Daddy's Fried Dough, said, "It sounded like a vehicle hitting another vehicle. I thought it was a fender bender, then I saw a lady on the ground. " He and other witnesses said it took only a few minutes before ambulances came.

Army Sergeant Michael Lydon was walking to Downtown Crossing from a ceremony celebrating veterans at the State House when he heard "screeching tires and then a thump."

He said the woman landed face-down. "It was definitely an uncomfortable sight. Not something you see every day. Not something you'd like to see," he said.