FELLSMERE — A 15-year-old Sebastian River High School student died Sunday afternoon at MESA Park while dirt bike riding in what authorities have called a “freak accident.” Paul Hagenmaier, of Sebastian, came down wrong from a jump and was hit by his bike, sustaining massive injuries.
A memorial will be held at MESA Park at 6 p.m. Wednesday, where friends and family are expected to gather.
Hagenmaier was airlifted to Holmes Regional Medical Center where he died 12 hours later, according to Indian River Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Brian Burkeen.
“It was a freak accident, for lack of a better term,” Burkeen said. He explained that it was his understanding that Hagenmaier’s handlebars broke mid-jump and he lost control of the bike.
Fellsmere Police Chief Scott Melanson called the incident an “apparent accident” and confirmed that Hagenmaier came down wrong on his jump, which caused the dirt bike to collide with him.
Burkeen said Hagenmaier was unconscious and unresponsive when emergency responders from the Fellsmere fire station arrived on scene. He characterized the teen’s injuries as “blunt trauma.”
MESA Park, which recently reopened to provide motocross racing and dirt-bike riding, offers practice time on its track.
According to Burkeen, who has a daughter who went to school with Hagenmaier, the teen had been racing dirt-bikes for several years.
Burkeen added that MESA Park did not have an active race going on at the track on Sunday, otherwise EMS would have been on scene and on call.