Palermo (WSYR-TV) – State police say an eight-year-old boy was accidentally killed after he was run over by a golf cart driven by his best friend Friday afternoon in Oswego County.
The accident happened on Goodfellow Road in Palermo where the child, identified as Cole Dolbear, sustained a serious head injury due to the accident.
State Police say they're not sure how the boy fell out of the golf cart, but before the accident they're told he was reaching down to pick up clumps of grass.
The victim was riding in the back seat of the cart when he fell out, according to police. Officials say the boy driving the cart, who was also eight years old, did not know his friend fell out until he accidentally ran over him.
John Rose who heard the accident next door said, "The kid was screaming and we went across to see what was going on and by that time he had him laying on the porch and had a towel wrapped around his neck and he wasn't breathing too good."
Police say the victim was still conscious after the accident and was able to run to the house to get help with his friend. Shortly thereafter, police say the victim became unconscious and progressively got worse.
Life saving measures were attempted at the scene by parents and members of the Palermo Volunteer Fire Department who had been dispatched to the scene, police said. Dolbear was later pronounced dead at Oswego Hospital.
State police say their investigation found nothing criminal; the Oswego County district attorney agreed.
State Police investigator Benjamin Miller said, "They have driven this golf cart in the past and it wasn’t their first time. It was just a tragic accident."
The case has been closed and criminal charges will not be filed.
Phoenix School District superintendent Judy Belfield said, "We are deeply saddened by the death of Cole Dolbear. We are more than willing to step forward to help the family and the school community."
Belfield says they will be holding a meeting Saturday to finalize grief counseling for students in the school district, especially for Dolbear's classmates who will be heading into the third grade this fall.
Grief counseling will be available on the first day of school or before then if a parent requests it for their child.
Belfield plans to reach out to other schools districts in Oswego County, such as Fulton, Mexico and Palermo, considering school communities in the county are small and tight knit.
As for the young boy driving the cart, State Police say they are helping his family get grief counseling for the boy while they deal with the death.
