A 7-year-old boy chasing a soccer ball into a Vista street was struck by an off-duty San Diego County Sheriff's deputy, according to sheriff's officials.
The boy darted into the intersection of Grapevine Road and Date Street at 5:35 p.m., and the deputy could not stop in time, striking the child with the upper front panel of his car. The deputy was driving home in an unmarked vehicle at the time.
The boy bounced off the vehicle and rolled into the street, officials say. He was conscious and talking when taken to the hospital for minor injuries.
He has since been released to his family.
The scene where the boy was struck is a densely populated area with apartments and rows of cars lining the road.
The sheriff's traffic team is investigating the crash.
