Boy, 16, Hurt Critically in Skateboard Mishap

LAGUNA NIGUEL — A 16-year-old was critically injured Tuesday when he fell off a skateboard being towed by a friend driving a car, authorities said.

The 26-year-old driver, James Callahan of Laguna Niguel, was arrested on suspicion of felony hit-and-run, Sheriff’s Lt. Keith Brown said.

Callahan apparently was driving a car belonging to the skateboarder’s mother and was giving him a ride as the boy hung on from the back of the vehicle, Brown said. The pair were traveling at about 15 mph on Ana Maria Lane when the skateboarder lost control and fell over, slamming his head on the ground, Brown said.

“The driver left the scene,” Brown said. “Apparently, he had beer in his car, although he was not drinking it.”

Sheriff’s deputies found Callahan about 20 to 30 minutes later in front of Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center in Mission Viejo, where the boy’s mother had been working, and arrested him, authorities said. He is being held at the Orange County Jail.