A 56-year-old man was killed Thursday while riding an electric scooter against the flow of traffic in a residential portion of Riverside.
The crash occurred at about 2:10 p.m. Thursday in the 6800 block of Butte Drive, near Norte Vista High School, according to a Riverside Police Department statement.
Riverside firefighters tried to save the man’s life but he was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. His name was not released pending notification of relatives.
The preliminary investigation revealed the man was riding a black GoTrax Apex Pro e-scooter against the flow of traffic when he tried to enter a driveway to move onto the sidewalk and lost control, police said. No other vehicles were involved and it is not known whether drugs or alcohol were factors.
The man was wearing a Department of Transportation-approved helmet, police said.
“This tragic incident is a reminder that riders should always operate electric scooters in the same direction as traffic, remain alert to changes in pavement or elevation and ride at a speed that allows them to maintain control,” said Traffic Bureau Sgt. Tim Jensen.
“Even when wearing a helmet, a loss of control can have devastating consequences.”
Anyone with information about the crash was asked to contact Traffic Detective Jeff Derouin at 951-826-8722 or JDerouin@RiversideCA.gov and reference report number 260016877.