Driver charged after hitting cyclist in crosswalk

Witness: Juvenile thrown onto hood of car, fell to the ground

MIDDLETOWN — An East Berlin man was charged with evading responsibility and failure to obey a control signal after he allegedly struck a juvenile bicyclist on July 16 and then drove off after the boy said he was OK, police said.

John Mengual, 36, of Redwood Lane, East Berlin, was traveling east on Williams Street as he was approaching Broad Street when he struck a juvenile who was crossing the intersection on his bicycle, police said.

A witness reported that the juvenile started to cross the street as the crosswalk light was on when he was struck by a 2007 Toyota Rav4, which officers determined was driven by Mengual.

Mengual told police he asked the boy if he was OK and the boy said it was “my bad” and began to walk away, so he left the scene, police said.

Mengual returned to the scene when he heard sirens, he said.

The boy said the crosswalk light was on when he began to cross and then was struck by the car, police said.

The witness agreed with the boy’s version and said the juvenile was about halfway across the street when he was struck by the Rav4, reports said.

The juvenile was thrown onto the hood of the car and then fell to the ground, the witness said. The witness could see the driver talking to the juvenile, but couldn’t hear what was being said, reports said.

The driver then drove off, the witness said.

The boy was taken to Middlesex Hospital by ambulance after the crash, police said.

Mengual was charged with evading responsibility and failure to obey a control signal. He was released and given a court date of July 30.