Man riding Lime scooter killed in hit-and-run crash on Indianapolis' west side

INDIANAPOLIS — A 59-year-old man died after being struck in a hit-and-run crash while he was riding a Lime scooter late Wednesday on the city's west side.

The crash marks the 19th fatal hit-and-run collision on record this year, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

It happened about 9:05 p.m. at the intersection of New Haven Drive and West Washington Street/U.S. 40, according to IMPD Officer Samone Burris.

Police responded there for a report of a serious injury hit-and-run and found the man lying in the roadway. He had been ejected from the scooter and then run over. He was pronounced dead from his injuries.

The man was later identified as Joseph Jackson, according to the Marion County Coroner's Office.

Burris said the driver who hit Jackson fled prior to officers' arrival and there were no witnesses to the crash. Several people stopped and tried to assist him, however.

Police don't have a description of the vehicle that hit Jackson. An investigation is ongoing.

In a statement, Lime said, "We are devastated by this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim's friends and family at this difficult time. We have reached out to the City of Indianapolis to assist however we can, including in IMPD's investigation."

The statement continued, "Safety comes first and always at Lime. It guides how we design and upgrade our vehicles, develop rider education and training, and work with cities to improve how streets are built to prioritize people over cars. While this approach has yielded a strong safety track record, with 99.99% of trips ending without a reported incident last year, we strive to ensure every ride ends safely and without incident."

Lime also provided the following information to WRTV:

• "Lime includes educational resources within its app, including a learn-to-ride course and local rules and regulations.
• Lime works with cities, including the City of Indianapolis, to develop safer places to ride, including protected bike lanes that reduce conflict with cars on the road.  
• Lime data has found that over 80% of fatalities and serious injuries that occur to scooter riders are caused by collisions with cars, which further emphasizes the need for spaces to ride without conflict with cars. 
• We currently exploring several measures to improve rider safety in Indianapolis and will have more to share on this soon."

So far this year, IMPD officers have responded to a total of 4,112 hit-and-run crashes, with 19 resulting in death. At this same date last year, the city had a recorded 4,405 hit-and-run crashes with 13 resulting in death.