A 16-year-old Ceres boy sustained serious injuries Saturday when he fell from a pickup tailgate as the vehicle was driven off quickly by another 16-year-old Ceres boy.

The injury occurred at approximately 2:42 p.m. in the parking lot of rural Hidahl Elementary School, 2351 E. Redwood Road. Emergency personnel arrived and located a parked 1999 GMC pickup inside the parking lot with the injured boy lying nearby with major injuries. He was transported to Doctors Medical Center.

The driver of the GMC was not hurt.

The California Highway Patrol investigated the incident and determined that the boy was sitting on the lowered tailgate. When the driver accelerated, the tailgate came out from behind him and he fell onto the asphalt parking lot, presumably causing head injuries.

The CHP does not believe alcohol or drugs contributed to the incident.

The CHP reminds juveniles and their caretakers of California’s provisional license law.  For those under the age of 18, newly licensed drivers have two restrictions for the first year they hold their license. First, teens are not allowed to transport any passengers under the age of 20 unless they are accompanied by an adult over the age of 25. Second, teens are not allowed to drive during the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.