Longboarder critically injured in West Vancouver collision

A West Vancouver high school student was critically injured in alongboarding accident on Friday eveningwhen he somehow collidedwith a passenger van driven by a friend.

The 17-year-old was injured whilelongboarding in the 6800 block of Isleview Roadnear Horseshoe Bay around 6 p.m. PT,according to a statement released by West Vancouver police on Monday morning.

Awoman working at a nearby construction sitesaid shedid not see the teen fall, butsaw the teen catching a ride on the bumper of the van justbeforehand.

She rushed to the scene after hearing screaming, and said she saw that the youth was notwearing a helmet. Another worker at the site rushed to a nearby house to grab a towel to bandage the youth's head until an ambulance arrived.

The injured youth was rushed to hospital with critical head injuries and remains in intensive care.

West Vancouver police Const. Jeff Palmer wouldn't confirm if the teen was bumper riding, or skitching,and said the cause of the accident remains under investigation.

"We have different understandings of how the accident occurred so we're going to reserve public comment subject to further investigation,"he said.

The driver and a second longboarder who wasat the scene have been cooperating with investigators, and no charges have been recommended at this point, said Palmer.

The teen's name has not been released but police say all three involved are friends and school classmates from Rockridge Secondary School.A critical incident counselling team has been sent to the school.

Longboarding is a form of skateboarding in which riders descend steep hills using skateboards designedfor the high-speed turns.

In July 2010 awoman in her 20s died while longboarding down Mount Seymour Roadin North Vancouver when she collided with a van.