A 9-year-old boy riding an electric scooter died Thursday night after police said he hit the side of a minivan turning into a Herndon, Virginia, neighborhood.
The incident happened around 5:30 p.m. Thursday in a townhouse community not far from Dulles Airport. The van鈥檚 driver, a woman, was making a left turn from Highland Mews Court onto Madden Court when the crash happened in the parking lot.
Fairfax County Police Capt. Harold Morris, assistant traffic division commander, said during a news conference Friday that the van made a left turn when 鈥渢he 9-year-old who was operating the electric scooter struck the rear of the minivan on the passenger side.鈥�
The boy, who investigators said wasn鈥檛 wearing a helmet at the time, was taken to the hospital, where he later died.
鈥淭his is a tragic event, and we want to make sure that everyone knows that we are with the family during this time,鈥� Morris said.
In a news release later Friday, police said neither alcohol nor speed were a factor in the crash. They identified the van as a 2012 Honda Odyssey.
The driver remained on the scene at the time of the incident, police said. Morris said there鈥檚 鈥渘o indication at this time that there鈥檚 any unsafe or reckless manner鈥� in which the woman was driving the van. No charges have been filed as of Friday.
While police have received some video footage of the crash, Morris said it鈥檚 unclear how fast the e-scooter was going, what kind it was and who owned it.
The police鈥檚 Victim Services Unit has been on the scene of the crash, and 鈥渙ur chaplain was out there last night to provide services for those to comfort them,鈥� Morris said.
Fairfax County law requires anyone 15 and under to wear a helmet when operating any type of e-bike.
In the Commonwealth, e-bikes are sorted into one of three categories. Class 1 e-bikes are pedal assisted only and have a 20 mph maximum assisted speed.
Class 2 e-bikes have pedal assist and throttle and a 20 mph maximum assisted speed. Class 3 bikes are pedal assist only and have a 28 mph maximum assisted speed.
Anyone with information about Thursday鈥檚 crash can call Fairfax Police鈥檚 Crash Reconstruction Unit at 703-280-0543.
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