Seventeen-year-old Chad Filer said he was riding his scooter along a relatively isolated stretch of road between the Deer Run community and Lion Country Safari on Tuesday night when three teenage boys on dirt and electric bikes approached him. According to Chad, one rider began performing a wheelie and intentionally swerved toward him in what he described as a common "bike life" stunt meant to intimidate people before pulling away at the last second, but instead the bike struck the right side of his body.
Chad estimates the rider was traveling around 40 mph when the impact sent him to the ground. A driver stopped to help, and Chad said the riders initially stayed nearby and told him he was "fine," but once witnesses called 911, the group fled.
Doctors found Chad suffered broken metatarsal bones, three broken toes, significant bruising and multiple road rash injuries across his chest, knee, elbow and side. His mother, Cortez Hornsby, said part of one nipple was partially detached in the crash. The family faces mounting medical expenses because Chad's health insurance through work was not scheduled to begin until next month.
Hornsby says she called the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and was told this is a county-wide problem. She also says deputies told her that based on how isolated the crash site is and the lack of cameras, it may be difficult to find the teens. Chad cannot work while he heals, and the scooter he relied on for transportation was heavily damaged.