Teenager riding minibike seriously injured in crash with vehicle

A Vancouver teenager riding a minibike was critically injured in a collision with a vehicle Wednesday night.

Seventeen-year-old Jordan W. Robards of Vancouver was wearing dark clothing and riding the small motorized bike west on Southeast 15th Street with no lights at about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Vancouver Police Department Spokeswoman Kim Kapp said.

Janice K. Brown, 61, of Vancouver was driving a Ford TK van east on Southeast 15th Street and began to turn north on 181st Avenue and collided with the bike, Kapp said.

Emergency personnel were called to the scene just before 9:30 p.m. and found that Robards had suffered significant injuries, Kapp said. He was taken to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, where he is listed in critical condition.

Brown stated she did not see the minibike until it hit her vehicle, Kapp said. She remained at the scene and cooperated with investigators.

The initial investigation showed that speed and impairment do not appear to be factors in the crash, Kapp said.

The agency’s traffic detectives are following up on the investigation.