A sixth-grade boy from St. Johns County is currently recovering following a serious e-bike accident that occurred on Race Track Road in the Julington Creek area. The incident took place around 7:30 p.m. on Monday night and resulted in the child being airlifted to a local trauma center where he was listed in critical condition, according to Action News Jax.
In the wake of the crash, the St. Johns County community has started to rally around the young boy, identified as Parker, a student and football player for the Creeks Outlaws at Fruit Cove Middle School. A vigil is planned by his football team, with a prayer circle scheduled for 6 p.m. tonight at the Julington Creek Plantation Park, as reported by News4Jax. Community members and Parker's team hope to offer their support and prayers for the injured boy's swift recovery.
The accident has sparked a conversation about the safety of e-bikes, especially when they are used by children. First Coast News reported sentiments from local residents, including one middle school student, Andrea Delgado, who said, "A lot of us have electric scooters or e-bikes. A lot of these kids, they do wheelies on it and stuff." This mirrors the behavior of many kids in the area who often ride these e-bikes and scooters as part of their daily routine.
In response to the incident and to promote safety, the local sheriff's office will be attending the vigil to offer a safety briefing on helmet laws and lead a group ride through the park. "Wearing a helmet has got to be mandatory for these kids," a resident named Sheridan told First Coast News. "We love them, we care about them. We don’t want to see them get hurt." To further underscore the importance of safety gear, free helmets will be distributed to children in attendance at the event.
