A school crossing sign stands near the corner of Dolphin and N Fifth streets in Petersburg, as children head back to class from mid-morning recess on Oct. 15, 2026. (Olivia Rose/KFSK)

A Petersburg student biking to school was injured in a collision with a car on Oct. 15. The student is with their family and receiving care at the local hospital, according to Superintendent Robyn Taylor.

“As they were heading towards the school, a vehicle pulled out of a [parking lot], and the student and the vehicle struck paths. So, the student was injured,” Taylor said.

Taylor declined to share the child’s name or grade, citing privacy concerns.

Multiple sources said the student was biking on the sidewalk near the Petersburg Children’s Center, which is located across the street from the elementary school, when a car pulled out from the parking lot and their paths collided. Police and EMS personnel responded, and the student was brought to the hospital for further evaluation.

A childcare center on the corner of Dolphin and N Fifth streets is across the street from Petersburg’s elementary school. A student biking to school collided with a car exiting the center’s parking lot, defined by the neon cones, on the morning of Oct. 15, 2026 during stormy, dark conditions. (Olivia Rose/KFSK)

The incident happened around sunrise. Petersburg is under a flood watch with stormy weather, meaning lower visibility.

Petersburg Police Officer Jared Popp came upon the accident during his usual morning patrol near the school. He said neither the pedestrian nor the driver is at fault; it was just a “series of unfortunate events.”

“I do wanna give a shout out to the school staff,” Popp said. “There’s school staff who had EMS training who took over, as well as the driver of the vehicle who took action to help the child. And he did everything in his power to try to make it right at the scene.”

Authorities remind the community to commute cautiously as the days grow darker this time of year: stay alert, use sidewalks, wear helmets while bike riding, and wear reflective gear when traveling in the morning and evening.

Popp said even he gets concerned about low visibility during dark morning patrols by the school. He said that particular intersection gets especially congested during the school commutes.

“Petersburg Police Department would encourage everybody [to be] aware, even kids maybe wearing reflective gear, and just being aware of vehicles in their path and where they’re gonna drive,” he said. 

The district has free reflective stickers for students to place on backpacks and coats at the elementary school office.

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