2 boys die in separate incidents during July 4 parades
Spectators watch the annual LibertyFest Fourth of July Parade in downtown Edmond, Okla, on Thursday, July 4, 2013. Authorities say a boy died after being run over by a float at the end of the parade. Edmond Police Officer James Hamm says the boy was riding on a float at the city's LibertyFest parade on Thursday. Hamm says the boy fell or got down from the float at the end of the parade and was struck by the same vehicle. (AP Photo/The Oklahoman, Paul Hellstern)
EDMOND, Okla. >> An 8-year-old boy riding in a Fourth of July parade in central Oklahoma died Thursday after his father accidentally ran him over, authorities said.
Another boy died in an Annapolis, Md. after falling from a vehicle heading to participate in that city’s Independence Day parade.
The boy fell Thursday evening on Amos Garrett Boulevard, where the line was forming to join the parade.
Cpl. Amy Miguez, a police spokeswoman, says the boy was getting off a moving trailer when he fell. She says he was then run over by the wheel of the trailer.
The Oklahoma boy was riding on a martial arts group’s float at LibertyFest in Edmond before he got down or fell from the vehicle at the end of the parade, Police Officer James Hamm said.
Part of the float — a truck and flatbed trailer with red, white and blue decorations that was loaded with hay bales — struck the child and knocked him to the ground, Hamm said. Edmond is just north of Oklahoma City.
"The driver, obviously unknowing what was going on, drove forward and ran over the child," Hamm said.
A number of people, including some children, witnessed the incident, he said.
"Many of the kids that saw it knew the child as well," Hamm said.
The boy was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police didn’t immediately release his or his father’s names. The father was not expected to face charges.
Hamm said the man wasn’t reckless and didn’t violate any traffic laws.
"It’s just a freak, unfortunate accident," the officer said.
Police spokeswoman Jenny Monroe said investigators would wait until Friday to interview the father.
"We just haven’t had a chance to speak with him and we’re not going to do that today," Monroe said Thursday.
Thousands of spectators typically line the parade route in Edmond, where bands, floats, antique cars and marching groups pass by, according to the LibertyFest website. No one returned a phone call left Thursday for festival organizers.
The website says the festival hosts Oklahoma’s largest hometown parade, with more than 100 entries.
