Teen dies car surfing in Walmart parking lot
By
Paul Thompson
PUBLISHED: 11:37 EST, 24 September 2012 |
UPDATED: 11:51 EST, 24 September 2012
A teenager was killed after being thrown from a car while 'car surfing' in a parking lot.
Jacob Wolfe suffered massive head injuries after he was sent hurtling to the ground when the car's driver braked or turned the vehicle.
The 16-year-old was flown by air ambulance to the Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, where he died from severe head trauma on Sunday afternoon.
Grief counselors have been sent to Chillicothe High School where Wolfe was a sophomore.
Police said they responded to the incident in a Walmart parking lot in Chillicothe on Saturday night after a report of a youth being injured.
Chillicothe Police Sgt. Ron Meyers said Wolfe had been clinging to the hood of a 1991 Honda Accord.
Police are trying to determine whether Jacob was run over by the car or he was struck by its bumper, Meyers said.
WHAT IS CAR SURFING?
Car surfing is a dangerous activity in which a passenger tries to perform a stunt on a moving car - hanging out a vehicle or standing erect on the hood or top of a car.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, at least 58 deaths from car surfing had been reported by newspapers across the country from 2008 to 1990.
The majority of the fatalities were reported in the Midwest and South, primarily among male youths.
The prosecutor’s office will determine whether charges will be filed, he said.
Chillicothe High School Principal Jeff Fisher said Jacob was active with the Fellowship of Christian Students organization on campus and was known for his interest in music, taking classes in guitar and piano.
'He was known for his ability to make other people smile and laugh regardless of the situation. He had a special quality to make people feel better about themselves,' Fisher said.
Friends described Wolfe as a gentle soul who loved to make his classmates laugh.
'He was a great kid,' said school principal Fisher.
'Jacob was a great person and had a great sense of humor. No matter the situation, he could make you smile, make you laugh.'
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Plenty of things to see while parked at W/M. I don't think I'd sleep well for that night.