A collision Monday evening at Marin and Tulare Avenues left an 18-year-old skateboarder in "grave" condition, according to the Berkeley Police Department.
While police have not released the victim's name, local parent Janet Scaglione said the victim was 18-year-old Tyler De Martini, a friend of her son's.
Tyler De Martini was hit by a car . De Martini is a former El Cerrito High School student now enrolled in independent study, according to friend Gabe Scaglione.
According to a preliminary report from the Berkeley Police Department's Traffic Bureau, the driver of a Toyota Prius was heading eastbound on Marin Avenue and was just about to make a northbound turn onto Tulare. De Martini was skating westbound on Marin when the two collided.
Witnesses say the "nasty looking" crash left De Martini lying in the road and bleeding profusely from a head injury. Police confirmed he was not wearing a helmet.
Warren Lyons, a Highland Hospital spokesman, confirmed late Tuesday that De Martini is in critical condition at the medical center.
The driver of the Prius was a 54-year-old male Berkeley resident, said police. Alcohol does not appear to have been involved in the collision, said Sgt. Mary Kusmiss.
Due to the seriousness of the situation, Berkeley Fire Department's Fatal Accident Investigation Team (FAIT) was called to take over the investigation. Police say that it is too early in the investigation to determine the primary cause of the collision.
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