BOZEMAN, MT — Bozeman police say a 9-year-old child died Wednesday morning after a vehicle and bicycle collided at Griffin Drive and Rouse Avenue. Officers were called to the crash at 10:52 a.m. and pronounced the child dead at the scene.
The Bozeman Police Department said the child suffered fatal injuries in the collision. Police Chief Jim Veltkamp said the department is treating the case as an active investigation.
Witnesses Help Investigators
Police said several drivers saw the crash and later gave statements to law enforcement. Those accounts are part of the effort to reconstruct what happened in the moments before impact.
The driver of the vehicle stopped right away and is cooperating with investigators, according to officials.
Preliminary Crash Details
Early findings suggest the girl was riding westbound on the south side of Griffin Drive before making an abrupt turn north across the road. Investigators say that move put her in front of a westbound vehicle.
Police have not released any final conclusions, and the investigation remains ongoing with help from Montana Highway Patrol.
Coroner To Release Name
The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office Coroner will release the child’s name at a later date. Officials have not publicly identified the victim as of Wednesday afternoon.
Bozeman police said the death has affected not only the family and friends involved, but also the wider community.
Police Offer Condolences
Veltkamp said the department shares in the grief over the loss of a child and extended condolences to those closest to the girl. He said the tragedy is being felt across Bozeman.
Authorities are continuing to gather information from witnesses and other evidence as they work to determine the full circumstances of the crash.
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