16-year-old riding e-scooter fatally struck by truck in New Jersey; Victim ID'd
ELIZABETH, New Jersey (WABC) -- A teenager was killed when the e-scooter he was riding was struck by a tow truck in New Jersey Wednesday night.
The incident happened around 8 p.m. at the corner of Elizabeth Avenue and South Spring Street in downtown Elizabeth.
Authorities say 16-year-old Nelson Miranda Gomez is the first fatality in the city's newly created scooter share program.
Gomez was riding a Lime scooter when he was struck by the large truck and was rushed to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police say the driver of the tow truck stopped at the scene, and no charges were immediately filed. The accident is under investigation by the Elizabeth Police Department.
"This was a tragic accident, and my thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of this young man," Mayor Christian Bollwage said. "The City Council will discuss the parameters of its relationship with Lime."
The city just launched its scooter program at the beginning of this month, releasing photos of officers who will be patrolling on them.
The 400 scooters in the city cost $1 to unlock, plus 20 cents per minute to ride.
As part of a revenue sharing agreement with Lime, the city receives 10 cents per ride, which offsets the cost of policing the scooters.
It is against Lime's user agreement for any rider to be under the age of 18.
"We are absolutely devastated by this tragedy, and our hearts go out to the victim's family and friends during this incredibly difficult time," a Lime spokesperson said in a statement. "We are in close contact with Elizabeth officials and stand ready to assist in any way we can."
Several other New Jersey cities also have scooter programs, including Hoboken, which has started patrolling scooter riders.
In one incident there, an Oja scooter collided with a mother and baby.
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