Hit-and-Run Driver Sought After Fatal Moped Crash in Norfolk

Motorcycle and moped riders are among the most at-risk people on the roads. I was saddened to read about a fatal moped crash in Norfolk this week.

The death of a rider is always tragic. When the driver of a larger vehicle flees the scene, it’s unforgivable.

This scenario unfolded on E. Princess Anne Road, near Monticello Avenue in Norfolk at about 12;30 p.m. on Thursday.

A report on WAVY.com stated the moped rider was driving west in the 300 block of E. Princess Anne when he was hit by a blue SUV or minivan, according to police. The rider sustained life-threatening injuries and was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where he died soon after arrival.

The driver who hit the moped rider drove away from the scene with heavy front-end damage to his or her vehicle.

The crash led to the closure of Princess Anne Road from Armistead Avenue to Church Street. A group of people from the community stayed to help the man and to assist police with their investigation.

Moped riders can be very vulnerable. Their machines are smaller than motorcycles meaning they may have less power to speed away from danger. Typically, a vehicle with an engine under 50cc might be considered a moped, while one with greater than 50cc is considered a motorcycle.

When mopeds come into contact with large vehicles like vans or SUVs, the consequences can be devastating. Last year, in Nag’s Head, North Carolina, two men were charged with hit-and-run over the death of a moped rider on South Croatan Highway.

Moped and scooter drivers are vulnerable to drivers who make left turns and to the actions of intoxicated drivers.

In the summer, a driver was charged with DUI over a crash in Newport News that caused serious injuries to a moped rider.

Police said the 20-year-old rider was hurt in an accident on the Bland Boulevard overpass. He was airlifted after the wreck with the Toyota by Nightingale Air Ambulance.

In 2017, we have seen a spate of accidents in Hampton Roads that have left riders dead and seriously injured in Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Chesapeake, and Norfolk.

The fatal moped crash in Norfolk is just the latest death to occur in Hampton Roads. Our thoughts are with the family of the victim.

If you have lost a loved one in a motorcycle, moped or scooter crash or been seriously injured due to another driver’s fault, please call Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers at (757) 333-3333.