A 6-year-old boy suffered a head injury Tuesday morning when he was struck by a car on Brooks Hill Road.

Stuart Williams was waiting for the school bus on the shoulder of the road shortly after 8 a.m. when, according to a witness, he ran out into traffic. He was struck by a 1996 Mazda MPV driven by David McNeely, 63, of Langley.

According to the Island County Sheriff’s Office, McNeely was driving toward Highway 525 after dropping his wife off at work. He saw Williams standing on the roadside with another child and slowed to a speed well below the limit on that road.

McNeely reportedly took evasive action when Williams ran into the roadway, but was unable to avoid the boy.

A witness at the scene attempted to call 911 on a cellular phone, but was unable to make a connection, according to the sheriff’s office. The driver of the MPV and other people nearby comforted the child until firefighters and emergency medical technicians arrived at the scene.

Williams, who was conscious after the accident, was treated at the scene by Whidbey General Hospital paramedics. He was then transported by ambulance to Langley Middle School, where a medical evacuation helicopter was waiting. He was flown to Harborview Medical Center for treatment.

A spokesperson at Harborview said Williams was in satisfactory condition as of Tuesday afternoon.

Island County Sheriff Mike Hawley said the accident was an unfortunate example of what can happen when young children are left unattended to wait for school buses.

Hawley said the boy’s school bus did drive into the scene of the accident after Williams was hit and picked up the boy who was waiting with him.