An 11-year-old boy died during a motocross practice session in Dade City, Florida.
The young rider, whose identity remains undisclosed, was honing his skills on a dirt bike when the collision occurred on Sunday at 10 am, July 30.
According to a police report, the accident happened when the boy attempted a jump off a hill but crashed his 85cc dirt bike upon landing. Despite his injuries, the young rider attempted to recover his bike, seemingly intending to continue or exit the track.
However, another cyclist took the same hill jump, resulting in a collision with the boy’s upper body. Medics swiftly arrived to assess his injuries. Recognizing the severity of the situation, they decided to airlift him to the nearest hospital in an effort to save his life.
The owner of Dade City Motocross, Randy Yoho, told Spectrum News 13 that they make every effort to keep their visitors safe, and even have medics on site. The area of the track where the boy fell has been part of the run for 40 years and has an average speed of 10 mph; Yoho does not remember an accident ever happening there.
The injuries sustained in the accident proved fatal, leaving the motocross community and the boy’s family in mourning.