16 year old skateboarder falls while being towed by car, dies.
I just got home from the Dew Tour and I turn on the TV to this, I want to send out my deepest sympathy to the family of Joseph Madison.
By KATU Web Staff
VANCOUVER, Wash. – A 16-year-old Vancouver boy was killed Sunday after falling from his skateboard while hanging onto a moving vehicle, police said.The Clark County Sheriff’s Office identified the teen as Joseph Stefano Madison of Vancouver, Wash.
According to the sheriff’s office, Madison was being pulled by a vehicle driven by another 16-year-old when the incident happened about 4 p.m. at the intersection of Northeast 29th Avenue and Northeast 139th Street – just down the street from Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital.
The sheriff’s office said Madison was holding the rear driver’s side window and was being pulled down a road when the vehicle suddenly hit a dip in the street and Madison lost his grip on the window. The teen then fell to the ground and hit his head on the pavement.
Madison was declared dead at the scene.
Authorities did not say how fast they believe the car was traveling when the teen fell.
No one else was injured. There were two other 16-year-old passengers in the vehicle at the time.
The sheriff’s office said neither alcohol nor drugs appear to be a factor in the crash.
If you search on Associated Press, Reuters, or some other syndicated news wire service for skateboarding. You’d be amazed at just how prevalent this kind of accident is.
I’d venture to say everyone here has tried towing off a car at some point in their life. Damn Back to the Future.
I did it… once. I was a fast learner… “if it hurts (and gives you severe roadrash) when you do that, don’t do that no mo’.”
I just saw the same kind of story on the news when I was in Chicago last week, suburban kid with brain damage from being towed behind a car and slamming on his head.
i see it everyday…i work in a trauma unit, and expect to be in there someday. fuck it..”45 mph…”
I actually spent a night in jail and got charged with disorderly conduct, reckless driving and reckless endangerment for towing a skateboarder behind my car, this was in Portland.
It seems like most serious head injuries in skateboarding come from street-grown kids who try downhill or bowls without being introduced first to the whole helmet-wearing scene. I remember I came from the street world and never even considered wearing a helmet when I started bombing hills faster than I could run, I was just fortunate enough to meet guys who’d been doing it long enough to know that it’s just a matter of time before your head hits the ground, they made it very clear that in the downhill scene you are straight up told to get the fuck out if you don’t wear a helmet. Not just for your own safety, but because you killing yourself leaves a huge burden on everyone else that has to be associated with the activity that killed you.
Just Saturday one of the guys I was riding with went down at only 30mph probably, full leathers, full face helmet, and he still knocked himself out and got a concussion. That would have been another death right there without a helmet, people can’t fuck around with downhill (or other means of similar speed), shit will kill you.
amen!