A 17-year-old riding an e-scooter was struck and killed after crashing into the side of a tractor-trailer that was turning off Cobb Parkway in Marietta, and police say the driver has not been charged as the investigation continues. Daniel Jimenez Gutierrez was knocked off his scooter, landed under the truck's tires, and suffered severe injuries before being rushed to a nearby hospital, where he later died.
According to WSB-TV, the crash unfolded when a white 2023 Freightliner tractor-trailer was stopped at a red light on Cobb Parkway, preparing to turn right onto Allgood Road. Investigators say Gutierrez tried to pass the truck on the right shoulder instead of stopping with traffic, and the light changed just as the truck began its turn. He crashed into the side of the trailer, was thrown from the scooter, and ended up beneath its tires.
Though the crash itself happened on September 4 at around 2 p.m., details were not made public until five days later, according to 11Alive, which reported the specific timing of the collision.
A Blind Spot Built Into the Turn
Gutierrez was transported to WellStar Kennestone Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
The mechanics of the crash point to a hazard well known in commercial trucking circles. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration guidelines identify the passenger side of a tractor-trailer as its largest blind spot, or “No-Zone,” and warn that turning trucks often swing wide, creating what safety experts call a right-turn squeeze for smaller vehicles nearby. That dynamic is especially dangerous for anything trying to slip past on the right just as a truck begins to turn.
What Georgia Law Says About Scooters and Shoulders
Under Georgia Code § 40-6-43, drivers are only allowed to pass on the right under conditions that permit safe movement, and they are explicitly barred from driving off the paved roadway or onto the shoulder to get around traffic, per Justia Law. The cited sources do not provide details about Georgia regulations governing electric scooters. Cobb Parkway was the location of the crash.
The cited sources do not address licensing requirements for operators of motorized devices or Georgia's minimum permit age. Gutierrez's licensing eligibility is not established by the cited sources.
Marietta Police Continue Investigation
The Marietta Police Department confirmed it is investigating Gutierrez's death, but the sources do not specify which unit is handling the case. Based on preliminary findings, no charges have been filed against the truck driver so far.
The stretch of Cobb Parkway near Allgood Road has drawn safety concerns before. In February 2013, a pedestrian was struck and killed while crossing Cobb Parkway near the same junction, Patch reported at the time, underscoring a long pattern of severe incidents along that section of roadway.
A Wider Pattern on Cobb County Roads
Gutierrez's death adds to a troubling record for the region. Cobb County logged 27,604 total motor vehicle crashes in 2024, along with 449 suspected serious injuries and 57 traffic fatalities, ranking among the top three counties in Georgia for total collisions, Hoodline previously reported.
The provided sources do not establish national figures for e-scooter fatalities, the role of motor-vehicle collisions in those deaths, or annual emergency-department visits associated with micromobility devices during that period.
