Teen Falls Down Cliff at Tyler Park

A 14-year-old teen from Philadelphia was hurt Friday after he lost control of his bike and went more than 80 feet down a cliff at Tyler State Park, authorities said.

The teen suffered injuries to his hip and pelvis area, Chief Park Ranger Vincent Ditanna said.

Ditanna said the teen was coming down a sloped path at a high rate of speed and could not make the turn. He went off the cliff, which the ranger estimated had a 70- to 80-degree grade, and into the Neshaminy Creek.

The ranger said he had to tie a rope to a fence post to safely get down the fill to assist the boy.

Firefighters from Newtown and Northampton put the boy on a backboard and transported him via rescue boat across the Neshaminy Creek to the Newtown side of the park where he was taken by ambulance to the hospital, Ditanna said.

The boy was riding in the park with friends at the time of the accident, an eyewitness said.

The incident happened before shortly before 11 a.m. in the Northampton Township portion of the park near the pedestrian crossway.