MAYPORT, Fla. – A brutal collision on the Wonderwood Bridge has ignited a renewed call for legislative action regarding e-bike safety after a woman suffered severe injuries when she was struck by a rider on the sidewalk.
Attorney Curry Pajcic, representing the victim, Kelly Lund, shared harrowing details of the October 17 incident, which left his client with multiple broken bones and extensive facial fractures. Pajcic alleges the e-bike rider was traveling at an excessive speed—estimated between 35 and 45 mph—when the high-velocity impact occurred. To underscore the severity of the collision, Pajcic released photographs showing blood spattered across the pavement of the Wonderwood Expressway sidewalk.
Lund remains in the middle of a grueling recovery process that will require further surgeries and significant dental reconstruction.
The incident highlights a growing public health crisis on local roadways. Dr. Shilpa Amin, chair of emergency medicine at HCA Memorial, confirmed that the hospital’s trauma center now treats between two and four e-bike-related injury cases every single week, a trend that emergency responders say is becoming increasingly difficult to manage.
“These motorized bicycles are dangerous, and they can be deadly,” Pajcic said during a press conference. “Something needs to be done about them.”
While the Jacksonville City Council took a proactive step in September by unanimously passing an ordinance that mandates a 15-mph speed limit for e-bikes on city sidewalks, Pajcic argues that local legislation is insufficient. He is now urging Florida state lawmakers to implement a standardized, statewide framework to govern e-bike operation.
“Our City Council and our mayor passed a law that mandated no more than 15 miles an hour,” Pajcic noted. “If there’s a state law, everybody would know about it, and it would make our streets safer.”
In response to the incident, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) reiterated that they expect all riders to operate their vehicles responsibly and adhere to current traffic laws. In a formal statement, JSO officials emphasized that the department takes the issue of reckless e-bike usage seriously, particularly when that behavior threatens the safety of pedestrians and other road users.
However, critics of the current regulatory environment contend that without stricter enforcement and clearer state-level mandates, the popularity of high-speed e-bikes will continue to outpace existing safety infrastructure. For Lund and her legal team, the focus is now on ensuring that the trauma she endured becomes a catalyst for broader change.
As the popularity of e-bikes continues to climb, the debate over how to balance personal mobility with public safety is expected to take center stage in the upcoming legislative session, with advocates hoping to prevent further life-altering injuries on local sidewalks.
Disclaimer: This content is auto-generated for informational purposes only.
Source: Read Original News
