A 26-year-old man is dead after what police describe as a possible e-bike crash on a walking trail in St. Joseph, Missouri, Sunday night. Officers found him lying on the ground with the e-bike on top of him near Francis Street and Winner Circle, and he was rushed to a hospital before later dying from his injuries.
Reports differ slightly on the exact response time. According to KQ2, officers responded at about 9:20 p.m. Sunday to the walking trail between 77 Francis Street and 777 Winner Circle for a report of a possible bicycle crash with a man down. A separate account from FOX4 Kansas City puts the response just before 9:30 p.m. the same night, describing the same stretch of trail and the same report of a man down.
Once on scene, officers found the 26-year-old man on the ground with the e-bike on top of him, per the report from KQ2. He suffered serious injuries and was taken to Mosaic Life Care, where he was later pronounced dead, the station notes. As reported by KMBC, the cause of the crash remains unclear, and police have not shared additional details about how the incident unfolded.
Victim's Identity Still Withheld
Police have not released the man's identity, according to Northwest MO Info. The St. Joseph Police Department Traffic Unit is handling the investigation, and per the same account, no additional information is being released at this time.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the St. Joseph Police Department at 816-271-4777. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the TIPS Hotline at 816-238-8477, the outlet reports.
Part of a Wider Pattern of E-Bike Deaths
Fatal e-bike crashes have been reported in other communities in recent weeks. In Marysville, Washington, a 44-year-old man riding an e-bike died after falling from the bike near 10th Street and Alder Avenue, according to KOMO News. In Fayetteville, a man on an e-bike died after being hit by an SUV, per WRAL.
The trend extends well beyond the Midwest. More than two dozen people have died in crashes involving electric bikes and scooters in New York City so far this year, with officials there moving to address what The New York Times describes as a growing safety crisis. The St. Joseph case remains under investigation, and no further details about the circumstances of the crash have been made public.
