On July 15, 2023, shortly before 11:00am, a participant of the Harvest Days parade fell from a tractor trailer before being swept underneath the moving vehicle. The incident occurred near the 200 block of N. Parkway Avenue in Battle Ground.
Parade goers alerted a Battle Ground Police Officer who was posted at a nearby parade route blockade. The officer immediately contacted dispatch to request medical assistance as he began to render aid to the patient. Medical personnel from Fire District 3 and American Medical Response arrived within minutes and took over patient care.
The 17-year-old female patient was conscious and speaking on scene and was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries. Her identity is not being released.
“I would like to commend the members of the public for jumping into action when they witnessed this tragic event,” said Chief Mike Fort. “Thanks to their swift action, and that of our officer and emergency medical personnel, the patient was able to receive care immediately.”
The City of Battle Ground would like to thank the community for quickly clearing the parade route for responding medical personnel and to the nearby businesses for assisting the investigators as they processed the scene. Additionally, the City would like to recognize the Battle Ground Festivals Committee, for their decisive action in rerouting the parade which allowed first responders to respond to the emergency.
The Battle Ground Police Department is investigating this incident assisted by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit and Washington State Patrol. No additional information is available at this time.