From the Cliffsrider News Wire cliffsrider.com

La Jolla Surfing Legend "B.A." of the Bird Rock area survived a horrific accident at La Jolla Shawls Beach Saturday. He was apparently hit by a San Diego Lifeguard truck while stretching before going surfing as the vehicle responded to an emergency call of tourists being attacked by Leopard Sharks in front of the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club.

"It happened so fast I had no idea it had happened until it was all over," B.A. said just moments after getting out of the water on a beautiful 1 foot Chores morning sesh. "This is the worst thing that has happened to me since I surfed the Cliffs in 1968, and got out of the water at Newbreak to find that someone had defacated on the hood of my car and slashed all four tires."

B.A was further perplexed because he has saved countless lives at both the Shawls and Windansea Beach, plucking tourists from flat rock rips and brutal, neck breaking shorebreaks for over five decades. Plus he's had his picture on the cover of a couple of 1960's era Surfer Magazines, so it's a big deal to him.

"They should have recognized me on the beach, there's no question about that," B.A. said ashamedly. "How could they run over a local legend like me? After all the help I've given that department? This is the thanks I get."

Amazingly, he suffered no serious physical injuries but has been left with a case of post traumatic stress disorder that is expected to keep him out of the water for several months as he seeks treatment at the local V.A. Hospital on La Jolla Village Drive. While he did not serve in the Armed Forces, he's a veteran of so many epic days in the water that the government has given him full medical benefits at the facility, and AARP is offering to cover his legal fees in the upcoming lawsuit he plans to file against the City of San Diego for negligence, hit and run, assault, attempted murder and vehicular manslaughter.

Incredibly, a local photographer was on the scene at the time of the accident and recorded a moment-by-moment view of the accident. Below are the astounding photos:

Taken just moments after he was hit, with his big-wave riding-wipe-out skills, neatly gets into the tuck and roll position just moments after getting rag-dolled by a San Diego City Lifeguard truck. Note the tire tracks.

"I was thinking it was like an airplane crash," B.A. sez, "So I grabbed my knees and began to kiss my ass goodbye. Those damn lifeguards can kiss my ass, too, for all I care. I'll be damned if I save any more tourists from the rip at Windansea, unless of course they are gorgeous, slippery wet Brazillian babes."

Writhing in pain, stunned onlookers rush to the aid of the local legened, as evidenced by the advancing shadows in the upper right of this photograph. Aid was swift and comforting.

"What the fuck happened, are those dudes out of their minds? Didn't they see me? I was just waxin' up my 15 foot softie and then all of a sudden just BAM. Where did those guys go?" Still somewhat stunned, our beloved B.A. looks northward, instead of southward, displaying his disorientation.

Dejected, yet still demonstrating the sheer willpower and stoke only a surfer can have despite such a horrific, degrading incident, BA refused to let the accident deter him from yet another day of perfection at the Shawls. He sucked up the pain and dragged the soft log behind him to join over 700 feet of other surfboards in the lineup (which set a new Guiness Book of World Records for the Shawls). It was reported later in the day that he was seen in the V.A. Hospital cafeteria complaining about the food as he awaited results from his MRI, CT Scan, Chlamydia swab and an annual barium enema colo-rectal cancer screen.

- Cliffie