An elderly man was transported to the hospital this week after being hit by a vehicle on the Balboa Peninsula, according to authorities.
Newport Beach Police Department dispatch center was notified of a traffic collision at the intersection of W. Balboa Boulevard and 7th Street at 6:40 p.m. on Monday, according to NBPD spokeswoman Jennifer Manzella.
“The collision involved a bicyclist, who had been traveling northbound on 7th Street, and a white Mazda hatchback, which had been traveling westbound on W. Balboa Boulevard,” Manzella explained in a press release.
The bicyclist, later identified as a 92-year-old Newport Beach resident, suffered major injuries as a result of the collision, Manzella noted in the statement. The driver of the Mazda was not injured.
Newport Beach Fire Department responded to the scene and transported him to Orange County Global Medical Center in Santa Ana for medical attention and evaluation.
Police are unclear what caused the collision. Initial investigation indicates that neither alcohol nor drugs appear to be contributing factors in this incident, according to the NBPD statement.
Cause of the collision is still under investigation.
The incident highlights a concern residents have raised for many years regarding the safety of crossing Balboa Boulevard.
City Council recently approved an $83,930 contract for a consultant to conduct the Balboa Peninsula Crosswalk Crossing Study.
The study will review 37 pedestrian crosswalks along the Balboa Peninsula between Coast Highway and Peninsula Point. Potential safety hazards and possible improvements will also be identified and included in the report.
Police are asking anyone with additional information about this collision to contact Investigator Chris Burns at (949) 644-3747 or cburns@nbpd.org.
