12-Year-Old Boy Killed in Dirt Bike Cash While Making Routine Gas Run
Mike Malanda, 12, has died after he was involved in a crash while riding a dirt bike, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department
Police said "a damaged dirt bike and a damaged Ford truck" were found at the scene of the crash, where the boy died
The boy's mom told a local news outlet that her son was "out to get a little bit of gas" when the crash occurredA 12-year-old boy has died after he was involved in a dirt bike accident in North Carolina.
The fatal crash 'occurred at the intersection of Oakdale Road at Auten Road in the North Division' around 1 p.m. local time on Sunday, June 8, according to a news release from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD).
Police said responding officers found Mike Malanda 'unresponsive' in the roadway, as well as 'a damaged dirt bike and a damaged Ford truck.' They added that 'the preliminary investigation indicates that Malanda was riding a dirt bike on the road when he was struck by the Ford truck.'
Malanda was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. An investigation into the crash is ongoing.
Malanda's friends and family say the boy was riding to a nearby gas station to get fuel for his dirt bike when the crash occurred, according to The Charlotte Observer. They said the boy did this routinely on Sundays for years.
'He just went out to get a little bit of gas so he could be able to go do something that he loved,' said his aunt, Laure Makiona. 'Never did we think we wouldn't get to see him anymore.'
The child's father, also named Mike Malanda, said of his son, nicknamed 'Mikey,' had 'dreamed' of having a motorcycle since he was 2 years old and 'loved riding his bicycle and doing tricks.'
Malanda was a rising 7th grade student at Lake Norman Charter School in Huntersville, according to a Facebook post shared by the school.
'Affectionately known as 'Big Mike' he will be remembered by his classmates, friends and teachers for his larger than life personality, playful nature and kind soul,' school officials said. 'The LNC community joins Mike's family in grieving this profound loss.'
Counseling has been made available at the school in wake of the tragedy, they added.
Malanda was planning to join his school's lacrosse team in the fall, according to the Observer.
Teachers told the outlet that Malanda had an 'infectious' laugh and had a big heart. Principal Nick Carlascio described him as a 'perfect mentor' while working with his sixth grade class's kindergarten buddies. 'Looking back, I noticed that he was hugging somebody in every single picture I have of him,' said Emily Kessler, Mikey's kindergarten teacher.
Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Richard Flood, who organized a monthly ride known as 'The Last Sunday,' told the Observer that more than 50 people gathered near the site of the crash for a candlelight vigil after the fatal crash. He said he is also planning a memorial ride later in June.
'No matter how hard it may seem or how hard he was struggling, Mikey always kept pushing,' Flood, 24, told the outlet. 'Mikey was a very strong soul.'
Anyone who witnessed the crash, or anyone with information regarding the crash are asked to contact Detective Kupfer at (704) 432-2169, extension 1, or leave anonymous information through Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or Charlotte Crime Stoppers.
It is illegal to operate a dirt bike on a public roadway in North Carolina, according to CBS affiliate WBTV and NBC affiliate WRAL-TV.
Read the original article on People
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Suspect found in Wounded Knee stabbing
SOIUX FALLS .S.D (KELO) — Oglala Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement said they found the suspect accused of stabbing a someone in the Wounded Knee area. Fallen hiker rescued from Cathedral Spires trail In an updated Facebook post, Raymond Eagle Hawk Jr. was arrested Thursday after he was reportedly on the run. The stabbing victim is alive, police confirmed Friday morning on Facebook. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Teen girl killed by pack of neglected dogs as she tried to help them, neighbors say
A teenage girl was killed in a 'horrific' attack by a pack of neglected dogs she had been caring for, authorities say. Makayla Fortner, 15, was mauled to death 'by multiple dogs' in an enclosed area at a home in the community of Alexander, Arkansas. Around 30 rescues lived on the property. Deputies from the Saline County Sheriff's Office said they were alerted to the attack around 12:15 p.m. Wednesday and arrived to find the teen already dead.n Fortne had previously been helping to care for the animals as well as working to find them permanent homes, officials said. With the assistance of Benton Animal Services, deputies seized multiple dogs from the property. The dogs were a mix of pit bulls, pit bull crossbreeds, and hounds, Benton Animal Services spokesperson Matt Thibault told the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Officials told the newspaper that 14 dogs were euthanized in the wake of the incident. Investigators said they are looking into how the 'sudden and tragic' attack unfolded. Neighbors told ABC affiliate KATV said Fortner was attempting to feed the dogs before the deadly attack. Ralph Murphy said that he witnessed a deputy fire two shots from a pistol to disperse some of the animals as he headed towards the victim. 'And then he walked over and looked down and turned around and walked back, and so I moved and I saw a body on the ground,' he said. A friend of the victim's mother, Stephanie Wilkie, launched a GoFundMe page to support the family and help cover funeral expenses. 'On behalf of my dear friend Stephanie Wilkie, I am heartbroken to share the devastating news that her beloved 15-year-old daughter, Makayla Fortner, tragically passed away following a horrific dog attack,' organizer Erin Bowman wrote. 'This unimaginable loss has left her family in deep shock, grief, and emotional pain.' Bowman described Fortner as 'a beautiful, bright girl with the kindest soul who had so much life ahead of her.' Just days before the attack, Wilkie posted on Facebook that she and her daughter were looking after a litter of more than 40 puppies at the home of an elderly couple. 'So like normal, found myself in a hoarding situation of an older couple in their 80s with too many dogs,' she wrote on June 8, adding that there are 'puppies everywhere, 40+ and a litter born today.' Neighbors said that they have complained multiple times about the dogs being uncontrolled and running away from the property. 'These dogs were very vicious at the fence to the point that no one wanted to let their children walk to and from the bus stop,' White Oak Drive resident Heidi Clay said. "And if somebody had done something, then maybe this little girl would be alive.'
Miami Herald
2 hours ago
- Miami Herald
A shooter killed another man as he walked to a convenience store, MDSO says
A 53-year-old Miami man is behind bars, accused of fatally shooting another man as he walked to a convenience store Wednesday night, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. Alexander Mills has been charged with second-degree murder in the death of 28-year-old Jonathan Lucas. Mills was arrested on Thursday. Deputies say the incident occurred around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, when Lucas left his home to walk to a convenience store at 22339 SW 112th Ave. While on his way, Lucas called his girlfriend and told her that Mills — who had previously threatened to kill him — was following him and firing shots, according to the sheriff's office. He urged her to call police. Authorities have not confirmed how the two men knew each other. Responding deputies found Lucas in the front yard of a nearby home at 11535 SW 224th St., about half a mile from the convenience store, and shot several times. He was airlifted to Jackson South Medical Center, where he died. Deputies say surveillance footage from the convenience store reportedly shows a Ford F-150 driving erratically through the parking lot. Mills got out of the truck and chased Lucas before shooting him, they said. Four spent shell casings were recovered at the scene. Investigators identified Mills as the shooter using license plate reader data, which they said showed the Ford truck was registered to him. He was later located driving the vehicle and taken into custody by the MDSO Homicide Bureau. According to the arrest report, as Mills was being detained, he stated that he had been waiting for police and acknowledged being the driver of the vehicle involved in the incident. He later claimed he acted in self-defense, a statement authorities say contradicts the surveillance footage. Jail records show Mills is in custody at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center and has a bond status of 'to be set.'
