On September 3, 2018, 24-year-old Jacoby Stoneking died from injuries sustained the previous day after an scooter accident on an electric Lime scooter. Police are not ruling out the accident as a crash, but his family is not convinced. Stoneking’s father, Jack, told news outlets that following the accident, his son informed a friend about falling off the Lime scooter, and asked him for help ordering a Lyft ride.
News outlets such as Fox4News have identified the person on the phone as Kenneth Moore, who left work from Zalat Pizza on Fitzhugh Avenue. Commenting about the freak accident, Moore went on record to state that he doesn’t think that his roommate would’ve called and said he had hurt his foot, when in fact he had hit his head.
Moore maintains that when he inquired if Jacoby was hurting anywhere else, he replied with a firm “no”.
Reports say that when the Lyft driver arrived at the scene of the accident, located at the intersection of South Munger Blvd. and Terr Street, Stoneking was found lying completely prone and unresponsive on the ground. The scene of the accident was such that the scooter was mangled, broken in half, and lay some 160 yards away from him. When police began their investigations, they were unable to find any debris that could indicate that there was another party involved. All they found was broken scooter parts.
Stoneking’s father believes that the damage on his son’s body could not have come from a fall of his scooter, but rather was the result of a hit-and-run. “Somebody must have seen something,” said Jack, after he checked in his neighbors for a surveillance video.
Dallas police received an injured-person call around 4 AM. When officers arrived at the scene, they found bruises on Stoneking’s limbs. He was promptly taken into Baylor Hospital by the Dallas Fire-Rescue crews. Jacoby was still alive at the time, but doctors were unable to mend his injuries, and he was declared dead at 12:40 PM.
Jacoby’s father, Jack, told news outlets that his son always wanted to be a doctor. He said, “He was outgoing. Cared for people.” Stoneking has donated all his organs, saving lives and living true to his passion of becoming a doctor.
A spokesperson from Lime commented about the incident, saying the company was “deeply saddened” to hear about Stoneking’s death. “Our thoughts and sympathies are with the family. We are currently awaiting the full details of the investigation and will cooperate fully with the authorities,” says Mary Caroline Pruitt, Communications Manager at Lime.
Lime’s electric scooters have become very popular in Dallas. Helmets are not required, and police say Stoneking wasn’t wearing one at the time of the accident.
Following the death of their son, the family started a GoFundMe page to raise money that will be used for memorial and cremation services. The family says that all excess funds will be donated to a charity they will select after the burial.
People on the internet are sending an outpouring of empathetic messages, expressing their condolences and grief over the incident. Some of the comments are speaking about justice, indicating that perhaps Jacoby’s death wasn’t an accident.
If you or a loved one are involved in an accident due to the negligence of another party while riding a scooter, you should consider hiring a scooter accident lawyer. Contact one of our experienced attorneys at Thompson Law. We offer clients a free case evaluation and will help you get the proper medical treatment and compensation for your suffering. Call THE FOURS 24/7 at 214-444-4444 or 817-444-4444, or toll free at 866-293-4768.
Thompson Law charges NO FEE unless we obtain a settlement for your case. We’ve put over $1.9 billion in cash settlements in our clients’ pockets. Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your accident, get your questions answered, and understand your legal options.
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