ST. GEORGE – A teenage male was airlifted to Las Vegas Wednesday night after a longboarding accident.
Sgt. Sam Despain said two juvenile males were longboarding on the path next to state Route 18 when the incident occurred around 8 p.m. Wednesday. Despain said one of the boys went ahead of the other who then crashed on his longboard, a type of long skateboard. No one saw the accident occur, though passing motorists found the boy lying on the ground and contacted 911.
Despain was unable to give detail relating to the boy’s injuries, though confirmed he had suffered severe head trauma. Due to the extent of his injuries the boy was taken by Life Flight to University Medical Center in Las Vegas and is listed in serious condition. Despain said the boy was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
Police closed down part of SR-18 around 8:30 p.m. to allow Life Flight clearance to land. The road was cleared soon afterward.
According to the University of Utah’s Health Care website concerning helmet use for bicycle, in-line skating, and skateboarding only up to 25 percent of children 14 and under use bicycle helmets, although statistics show helmets can drastically reduce the threat of severe injury to the head and brain.
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Sounds like this is a kid who needs our prayers. Considering what each of us did as kids, it is amazing that any one of us lives long enough to be an “adult,” let alone a “senior citizen.”
I agree with Francis. I tell my kids “it’s a good thing skin grows back.”
I knew this kid he is my friend from school, he didn’t deserve this, he’s a good guy.
I’m with Carson. Ben goes to my school. He is a super rad kid and didn’t do anything to deserve this.
@DrAndrewWhite skin yes, but CNS tissue not so much. Praying for this young man and his loved ones. Also praying for increased helmet adoption among youths and adults to decrease these kinds of sad stories.
He’s got my prayers for sure
This just goes to show you no matter how good you are at something, not wearing proper protection when attempting more dangerous rides can be disastrous As an avid longboarder, although I don’t always wear a helmet, I would never attempt riding down from Winchester without one. Hopefully he get’s better and will get back to carving the hills again, and I hope that those he rides with will have a greater desire to wear a helmet.