MENTOR, Ohio — A 15-year-old boy suffered serious injuries after he lost control of his e-bike and crashed on Elmwood Road in Mentor Monday afternoon, according to fire officials.
Fire officials said it happened just before 4:30 Monday afternoon. Fire officials said the teenager was riding his e-bike when he lost control and hit a mailbox.
"He ended up breaking both his right leg and his right arm, " said Dan Garey, a public education specialist with the Mentor Fire Department.
Fire officials described the boy as fortunate despite the severity of the crash.
"Very serious. He's very, very lucky," Garey said.
There have been several crashes involving e-bikes across Northeast Ohio over the past several months.
"We have definitely had a share of accidents over the spring and the summer with the e-bikes, and yes, they are, they are dangerous," Captain Dan Molnar of the Mentor Police Department said.
That's why Mentor lawmakers passed legislation earlier this fall aimed at reducing e-bike accidents in the city.
The legislation requires anyone on an e-bike to wear a helmet, it prohibits passengers, riders on a sidewalk cannot use the motor, and riders on the street must obey traffic laws according to the legislation.
Mentor police said the measure is about safety and sending a message.
"This is something that we would cite for, which would be a ticket that you'd have to appear in court for. Certainly it's not an arrestable offense, but there would probably be a fine associated with it. And we figure that's just the best way to make sure the public's aware and make sure parents are aware that it's a serious situation and we want to make sure everyone's safe," Molnar said.
Police say the fine could be upwards of $150.
