Teen seriously injured in a beach dive at Bodega Bay

A Santa Rosa teenager on an outing with friends at a Bodega Bay beach was seriously injured Sunday afternoon in a swimming accident and taken by helicopter to the hospital.

The 17-year-old dove over a wave and somehow hit the bottom, according to Sonoma County Sheriff's Deputy Scott McKinnon, a member of the sheriff's helicopter crew.

Initial reports were that the youth hit some rocks and had no movement below his neck.

“He had serious spinal abnormalities,” McKinnon said of the injuries.

The accident, reported around 4:15 p.m., took place at Pinnacle Gulch Beach which is accessed from the Bodega Harbour subdivision.

The sheriff's helicopter landed on the beach and took him directly to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

You can reach Staff Writer Clark Mason at 707-521-5214 or clark.mason@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@clarkmas.