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 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 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]
by The Editors on December 17, 2010
Joseph Cormier, 41, pleaded guilty to careless driving this morning (December 17, 2010) for the April 6, 2010 skateboard towing death of his friend Norman Swyer, 28, of Beamsville, Ontario. Canada according to a story in The Standard.
Court heard Swyer asked for a tow on his skateboard behind Cormier’s car on a rural Beamsville road. Cormier agreed and pulled him for about 200 metres, when Swyer lost control and fell, striking his head on the pavement. He died of serious head injuries four days later in a Hamilton hospital.
Cormier will be on probation and banned from driving for six month, according to the story. He’ll also have to pay a $1,000 fine. But we’re guessing the worst punishment of all is knowing the part he played in his friend’s death.
[Link: The Standard]
by The Editors on December 15, 2010
The driver of the car which towed skateboarder Willy Tracy, 17, to his death in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Canada on June 12, 2010, went on trial this morning and is charged with “criminal negligence,” according to a story The News.
“On June 12, 2010, a person – Willy Tracy – was on a skateboard and he grabbed onto a motor vehicle, a Rav Four, on Willow Street, New Glasgow,” Pink said, adding that the car was being driven by his client. . . “Mr. Tracy fell while he had a hold of the Rav Four, and suffered multiple injuries which resulted in his death.”
Skateboard towing sucks for everyone involved.
[Link: The News]
by The Editors on August 4, 2010
Alexander Baer, a 17-year-old skateboarder from McHenry County, Illinois, died last Thursday, July 29, 2010 from head injuries he sustained from a fall while reportedly towing on his skateboard behind a car according to the Chicago Sun Times.
An autopsy on Saturday found Baer died of craniocerebral injuries from a fall from a skateboard and his death was ruled an accident, the medical examiner’s office said. . . Baer was near his home Tuesday at 3:50 p.m. on a skateboard being pulled by some type of rope attached to a vehicle, according to a release from the McHenry County Sheriff’s office.
Towing continues to kill unrestrained. . . and yet skate video continue to feature it. Strange, huh?
[Link: Chicago Sun-Times]
