A 4-year-old girl was killed Tuesday when the motorcycle she was a passenger of collided with a tractor-trailer in Rancho Cucamonga.
The girl was identified as Breann Creer of Ontario, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department.
Sheriff's detectives said the motorcycle and big rig were both heading east on 6th Street near Hermosa Avenue before 11 a.m. when the semi suddenly made a U-turn in front of the motorcycle.
Witnesses said the driver of the truck apparently did not realize the crash had occurred and continued going forward and in reverse with the motorcycle underneath it as it tried to negotiate the tight turn.
Witnesses screamed at the truck driver to stop.
"I ran and checked the baby's pulse. There was nothing," said Cheri Slocumb, who witnessed the crash and recalled the words of the man who was on the motorcycle with the child. "He kept saying, 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry. Breathe, baby.'"
The girl was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Harley-Davidson sustained moderate injuries and was taken to the hospital.
He and the girl, who was wearing a motorcycle helmet, were not related, and it was unclear how they knew each other, investigators said.
The motorcyclist is a combat veteran, according to an acquaintance, Jeff Swain.
Swain said he was surprised to hear that the girl was on the back of the motorcycle.
"There's no place for a 4-year-old on a motorcycle," Swain said.
The truck is owned by a company called Finetrans, which is based in Georgia. Its driver and passenger were interviewed by investigators.
"I really think if he hadn't have ran over the baby, they would have been OK," Slocumb said.
Investigators said state law does not have age restrictions for motorcycle passengers.
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