RIO GRANDE – A 57-year-old Rio Grande man was killed riding his e-bike on Monday, Sept. 29, when he collided with a left-turning vehicle and then was struck by a second vehicle, authorities said.
Middle Township police were dispatched to Route 47 in the area of School Lane at about 8:50 p.m. on a report of a motor vehicle accident involving a motorized bicycle.
Police learned that the e-bike’s driver, Albert MacFarlane, was traveling south on Route 47 when a Ford Bronco attempted a left turn onto School Lane, crossing into the path of the e-bike. The bike collided with the Bronco, ejecting MacFarlane, who was then struck by a Hyundai Veloster that was also traveling south on Route 47.
MacFarlane was transported to Cooper University Hospital-Cape Regional, where he was pronounced dead.
The drivers of the Ford Bronco and the Hyundai Veloster were not injured.
Route 47 south was closed for approximately three hours while the scene was investigated and cleared. The crash remains under investigation by the Middle Township Major Crimes Unit and the Middle Township Crash Investigation Unit.
Assisting at the scene were members of the Rio Grande Fire Department, Cape May County Fire Police, the state Department of Transportation and AtlantiCare Emergency Medical Services.
Early in September an accident in South Seaville sent an e-bike operator to the hospital.
According to information provided by the State Police, on Sept. 1 at 12:21 p.m. troopers responded to a motor vehicle crash at the intersection of Tattlers Road and Westcott Road in Dennis Township.
Police said the driver of a Chevrolet passenger vehicle was traveling east on Tattlers Road when the vehicle collided with an e-bike traveling north on Westcott Road. The operator of the e-bike did not sustain life-threatening injuries but was airlifted to an area hospital. No other injuries were reported.
The crash remains under investigation, and no additional information was available.
The New Jersey Monitor reported on Thursday, Oct. 2, that state Senate President Nicholas Scutari (D-Union) has expressed his concerns about e-bikes and e-scooters going too fast, saying with speeds exceeding 35 mph there will be more crashes.
The article cited several fatalities involving e-bikes, including a boy, 13, who died on Sept. 24 after he was hit by a landscaping truck in Scotch Plains; a man, 22, who died Sept. 22 when he was struck by a van while crossing opposing traffic in Orange, and two girls killed in Cranford Sept. 29 when they were struck by a teen driver.
National statistics compiled by Columbia University say e-bike injuries rose by 293% from 2019 to 2022.
Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or call 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
