PACIFIC BEACH (KGTV) — A teenager was struck and killed while riding his e-bike through a Pacific Beach intersection Saturday night, and friends are now mourning his loss.
Police say the 14-year-old was riding northbound on Olney Street when he entered the intersection of Balboa Avenue against a red light. A 38-year-old man driving westbound struck the teen. The boy was taken to the hospital, where he died.
Maddox, a friend of the boy, was among the first to leave flowers at the intersection where his friend was killed.
“I decided to go for like a pink color because his bike was pink,” Maddox said.
“I just wanted to… make sure that he was remembered and that he didn’t deserve it,” Maddox said. “He was a good kid. I always hung out with him and it’s just sad that he’s not here anymore.”
Separately, Maddox was involved in an e-bike crash just a few weeks ago and broke his arm. His father, Lance Tamyo, says the constant e-bike injuries may be a sign to rethink children riding e-bikes.
“It really makes me think… what’s the future of these kids on e-bikes,” Tamyo said. “This isn’t a game anymore. It’s not a broken arm. I can’t imagine what the family is going through.”
Last month, the city of San Diego joined others in the county by activating for an e-bike ban on young riders — but only those under 12 years old.
Maddox said if he could say one last thing to his friend, it would be a reference to an inside joke between them.
“This inside joke was like, maybe we can have like one more disco party at your house and just fly high,” Maddox said.
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