A 9-year-old Oak Grove boy died in what authorities are calling a "tragic, freak accident" while dirt biking Friday night, despite wearing proper safety equipment, news sources report.
Friends found Nick Engler badly injured and not breathing near his dirt bike and called for help. The first responder to the scene was Rob Engler, Oak Grove's assistant fire chief and Nick's father, the Star Tribune reported.
Engler tried to revive his son, but Nick died at the scene, WCCO reported.
Authorities are unsure of what happened because there were no witnesses who saw Nick crash his bike. An autopsy report has not yet been released, but Anoka County Lt. Paul Lenzmeier said it appeared Engler died of head injuries, the Star Tribune reproted.
Lenzmeier called the tragedy a "freak accident" because Engler was wearing a helmet, chest protector, gloves and motocross boots. "It wasn't the case of negligence on anyone's part," he told the Star Tribune.
The accident occurred on the 19600 block of Dogwood Avenue in Oak Grove. With his parents' permission, Engler went to a homemade dirt track near his family's home around 7 p.m., WCCO reported.
It's "a fluke accident," Fire Chief Curt Hallermann told the Star Tribune. "It's such a shock and tragic loss."
This is just awful! Boy's parents must be devastated by this tragedy. If the death is not a matter of negligence, the who's to blame? May be bad luck, may be karma, or just unfortunate combination of circumstances? Whatever the reason- it is really horrible.
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Accidents of such type are seriously very distressing.