A child was struck by a pickup truck in the Mustang Water Slides parking lot at Lopez Lake on Sunday, the California Highway Patrol reported.
It happened at about 6:40 p.m.
According to the CHP, the child was riding a tricycle in the parking lot. When the driver of the pickup was exiting the parking lot, he felt an impact, stopped, got out and found the child under the truck.
Officers say the child was alert but suffered major injuries and was taken by helicopter to Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara.
The CHP says its investigation into the incident is ongoing and anyone with further information is asked to call the San Luis Obispo Area CHP office at (805) 594-8700.
KSBY reached out to San Luis Obispo County Parks and Recreation, which owns the property where the incident occurred.
Director Tanya Richardson says the parking lot is a day-use area within the Lopez Lake recreation area campground that many people use when visiting the waterpark.
Richardson says county park rangers were the first ones on scene and provided care to the child until paramedics arrived.
"This is a gut-wrenching, heart-breaking tragedy, and we are hoping and praying for the child involved as they receive medical treatment. We are deeply concerned about the child, the family, first responders and fellow park visitors who were at there Sunday evening. We, like everyone, are hoping for positive reports from the hospital. We will, of course, cooperate fully with the investigation looking how this happened," Richardson said.
