by The Editors on May 3, 2023
It’s been a while, but it seems skateboard towing deaths will never go away. The family of Liam McGuire, a 16-year-old skateboarder from Manlius, New York, won’t be the same after he hung on to the side of his best friend’s car and fell, hitting his head. He died four days later on Saturday, April 29, 2023.
Liam touched many people. Family and friends gathered Sunday at a vigil in the neighborhood to share stories about him. That’s where one woman shared how Liam spent hours teaching her to snowboard. . . Liam’s best friend was driving the car that Liam was holding on to when he fell. Liam’s family said the friend and his family stopped by the hospital several times.
Horrible reminder that skateboard towing rarely ends well. Don’t do it.
[Link: Syracuse.com]
by The Editors on October 4, 2017
On Friday, September 29, 2017 Dallas Swogger, 16, of Canton, Ohio grabbed on to the side of a moving car while on his skateboard and unfortunately it ended as it so often does with skateboard towing, according to a story the Akron Beacon Journal.
Dallas, a freshman at the McKinley High School Downtown Campus, was trying to hold onto a car when he lost control of his skateboard and hit his head on the pavement.
He was taken to the hospital and four days later he died. Our thoughts are with Swogger’s family and friends.
[Link: Akron Beacon Journal]
by The Editors on April 10, 2017
These are the stories we hate. On April 7, 2017 at around 7:30 PM 15-year-old Sandro McIlroy of Manhattan Beach, California grabbed onto the side of a moving Jeep while riding a skateboard, according to as story on 6ABC.com. The car was rolling at about 10 MPH and as we’ve learned accidents while skateboard towing rarely ends well.
At some point, the boy lost control of the skateboard, which caused him to hit the outer rear tire of the Jeep. He then fell, hitting his head on the roadway. . . Police and emergency personnel arrived and took the teen to the hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Our thoughts are with McIlroy’s friends and family.
[Link: 6ABC.com]
by The Editors on September 19, 2011
A 24-year-old skateboarder from Lethbridge, Alberta died Friday, September 16, 2011, from injuries he sustained while towing on his skateboard behind a Toyota 4-Runner, according to a story in the Calgary Herald.
The SUV was traveling northbound on Red Crow Blvd. West when one skateboarder lost his grip and hit the pavement, after 7 p.m. . . “The safest thing that could’ve been done was not to grab onto the vehicle while riding a skateboard,” Ballman said. “I think there still would’ve been injuries or possibly worse, even if the individual had been wearing safety equipment. “
Happens all the time, but skateboarders just don’t seem to care.
[Link: Calgary Herald]
by The Editors on July 3, 2010
On June 12, 2010 a 17-year-old Nova Scotia skateboarder allegedly grabbed on to the side of Toyota RAV 4 towing along while another 17-year-old was behind the wheel. Now, nearly a month later one teen is dead (the skateboarder died on June 23, 2010 from serious head injuries) and another is charged with criminal negligence, according to a story on CBC.ca.
“We know that the person that was on the skateboard was somehow clinging on to the vehicle and at some point in time an incident took place and the person on the skateboard must have fallen,” MacDonald said Friday.
After all this it is amazing to us that skateboarding videos still show skaters getting towed into things.
[Link: CBC.CA]
by The Editors on May 19, 2009
Timothy W. Melvin, 39, of central Illinois has been sentenced to “60 days in jail and 18 months probation for running over his 12-year-old son while towing the boy on a skateboard,” according to a story in the Herald & Review.
Testifying at his sentencing hearing, Melvin said he did not realize when he entered his guilty plea that he was admitting he knew he was towing his son through Fairview Park as the boy hung on to a side window of his car. He said he believed the plea was for not requiring Zachary to wear a helmet as he skateboarded in the park.
Seems like the death of his son Zachary R. Melvin would be enough punishment, but Timothy’s seven prior convictions for various offenses would suggest that Melvin is not a quick learner.
[Link: Herald & Review via Chicago Tribune]
by The Editors on September 19, 2008
Christian Moothart, the 17 year old who was driving the car that Joseph Madison was skateboarding behind when he died, has been sentenced to 60 hours of community service on reckless endangerment charges.
. . . 16-year-old Joseph Madison (pictured) was “skitching,” hanging onto the car on his skateboard. The car driven by Moothart hit a dip in the road when Madison lost his grip, fell and hit his head on the pavement. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
It sad on all side, but we’re glad Moothart didn’t have to go to jail.
[Link: NWCN.com]
by The Editors on September 5, 2008
Christian Mootheart, 17, was found guilty of reckless endangerment for driving the car that skateboarder Joseph Madison was towing behind when the 16 year old fell, hit his head, and died.
Madison was skitching down 29th Avenue in August 2007 holding onto the left-rear window frame of the car when he fell off the skateboard and his head hit the pavement, which caused his death. . . . Mootheart was driving the car that day. On Thursday, a judge found him guilty of reckless endangerment.
Mootheart could face up to 30 days in jail for the misdemeanor.
[Link: KPTV]
by The Editors on June 19, 2012
Jonah King, a 16-year-old longboarder from Rowan County, North Carolina died from head injuries sustained after skateboard towing, according to a story on WSOTV.com.
King was riding his longboard, which is a bigger version of a skateboard, on Timberlane Trail in Salisbury when he fell and hit his head. . . Police said he was being pulled behind a car when he fell. Investigators said King was doing what is known as “towing” or “skidding,” which is when a skateboarder grabs the side of a vehicle and is towed up hills.
King was not wearing a helmet and had, earlier in the evening, been caught on tape illegally buying beer at a mini market. Authorities are awaiting toxicology results. Our thoughts are with King’s family and friends.
[Link: WSOTV]
by The Editors on January 17, 2012
Lachlan Burgess, a 17-year-old Australian skateboarder is now dead after falling while skateboard towing behind his friend’s car in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales on Monday, January 16, 2012, according to a story on News.com.au.
Police said Lachy fell from his skateboard about halfway down Plunkett Drive, impacting heavily with the road. He suffered major head injuries and sadly died at the scene.
According to The Border Mail several of Burgess’ friends phone were confiscated by police because the crash may have been caught on video. Burgess’ friend who was driving the car has been charged with “manslaughter and dangerous driving occasioning death.” Another sad reminder.
[Link: News.com.au and Border Mail]
