2 Youths Killed on Bicycles in Separate Accidents

Two boys riding bicycles were fatally injured Tuesday when they were struck by vehicles in separate accidents in Santa Ana and Irvine, police reported.

In Santa Ana, Ruben Gutierrez, 11, of Santa Ana, was struck when he pulled out from behind a large white truck directly into the path of an oncoming pickup truck, Lt. Mike Mitchell said.

The accident occurred about 3:45 p.m. at 2100 S. Orange Ave. The 1978 Chevrolet pickup was northbound on Orange Avenue, north of Anahurst Place, when the southbound bicyclist suddenly emerged from behind the other truck, Mitchell said.

The pickup was traveling about 30 m.p.h. when it struck the bicyclist, Mitchell said.

The boy was taken by paramedics to Western Medical Center, Santa Ana, where he was pronounced dead at 4:40 p.m. The driver was not cited.

Shortly after 8 p.m., a 15-year-old boy on a bicycle was struck by a vehicle and fatally injured on Harvard Avenue in Irvine, near the entry gate to the Marine Corps helicopter base in Tustin, police said.

Irvine police plan to close Harvard Avenue, between Warner Avenue and Irvine Center Drive, until 10 a.m. today to investigate the fatality, Lt. Al Muir said.

The boy, whose identity was not released pending notification of relatives, was taken to Western Medical Center, Santa Ana, where he was pronounced dead, Muir said.

It was unclear whether the collision was a hit-run incident, but Irvine police were interviewing suspects about 10 p.m. Tuesday, he said.