TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – It takes a few minutes for most students to ride a class, leaving Tampa family members with a lifelong heartbreak.
Michelle Lynch’s son Connor was only 19 years old when he was killed in a crash of an e-scooter near the University of South Florida in February 2024. The sophomore recently declared himself an entrepreneurial business major.
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“Connor was full of life and full of promises,” Lynch said.
On the night of the crash, Connor was returning to his apartment on his scooter as the car turned left in front of him. He couldn’t stop.
USF Police Chief Chris Daniel said between 2023 and 2025, officers responded to 29 scooter-related accidents on campus.
Doctors at Tampa General Hospital look at the consequences of these crashes firsthand. A 2023 study by USF Professor recorded nearly 300 e-Scooter injuries treated with TGH.
“If you go to my hospital after an e-bike injury, I’m about 40% likely to operate you, and I’ll admit you,” said Dr. Jose Diaz, a trauma surgeon at TGH.
Diaz said many riders also wear the wrong helmets, but this is not designed to allow speed scooters or e-bikes to reach.
Relating her son’s story is painful for Lynch, but she believes it is necessary to share it.
“The pain of losing a child is absolutely unimaginable,” she said. “It’s important to share this message so that other families can’t stand the heartbreak they endure every day.”
AAA Campaign Safe Street for Small Wheels launched at USF this week. It aims to raise awareness of scooter and e-bike safety across Florida campus.
