The community of Everett, Washington, is mourning the tragic loss of a 13-year-old boy who died days after riding into a metal cable while on an e-bike.
Emiliano Munoz was riding the bike around 4:30 p.m. on May 2 when he struck a braided cable between a fence post and traffic bollard that fenced his family’s yard.
Police say they arrived at the scene three minutes after the call to dispatch and transported Munoz to Harborview Medical Center, where he died May 5 from his injuries.
A GoFundMe fundraiser created for Muonz’s medical and funeral expenses states the teenager suffered severe head trauma from the crash.
“He was a beloved student at Explorer Middle School, known for his warm spirit and kind smile. He was a true friend to many & will never be forgotten,” organizer Katharine Montiel wrote.
The cable, which Montiel described as “dangerously placed,” has been removed, police say. Friends and family have made the site a memorial, with photos, candles and balloons for Munoz.
Neighbors told local news station KING5 that the cable fence, installed a few years ago along the property's front yard, was connected to yellow bollards to prevent cars from cutting across the lawn after making wrong turns.
“It was to stop people from driving on their lawn," Nick Hughes, a nextdoor neighbor, told the outlet. "I don't know if it was the neighbors that put it up. It never crossed my mind there'd be an issue.”
The Independent has contacted Everett PD for comment.
KING5 also spoke to middle and grade school-aged kids who visited Munoz’s memorial site before his funeral.
“I really miss him," Jonathan Losoda said. "We played together. We used to ride bikes and now he's up there. He liked especially blue Takis because I like it, and he always shared it. I miss everything about him.”
Losoda continued, “If he was still here, I just want to say to him, I'm super proud of him and that I miss him and that he was a good friend.”
This incident is under investigation.
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