The circumstances surrounding a bicycle rider's injuries are unknown after he was found bloody with his head across the center line of Gum Springs Road on Aug. 5.
The cyclist, identified at Jessi Marcel Lebeau, 22, of Siloam Springs, was unconscious for 11 days and because of injuries he sustained, has been unable to communicate with deputies who are investigating the incident.
He has a fractured jaw, dental injuries, a fracture of his C-1 vertebrae, compression fractures to the T-1 and T-6 vertebrae, and brain injuries that include shearing or small tears in blood vessels to the brain, his father, Edward, said in an email.
When deputies arrived on the scene, Jessi was thought to have been struck by a vehicle; however, an investigation conducted by the Benton County Sheriff's Office concluded that there was no evidence of vehicular involvement.
A bike found alongside the cyclist did not have a bent frame, which is a normal indicator of a bicycle/vehicle accident, deputies said.
"There were minor dings and dents on the bicycle from what appeared to be when the bike dropped," according to the incident report released by the Sheriff's Office.
Jessi was not wearing a helmet at the time the incident occurred, Edward said.
Jessi has the youth version of macular degeneration, which was pre-accident, and is legally blind and he is unable to drive a car so his bike has been his only form of transportation, Edward said.
"I cannot stress enough how important it is for parents to force their children to wear helmets...it's not an option," he said.
"They may not ever have a problem but the day they do will be a complete nightmare. Let them hate you for making them wear it.... Jessi didn't wake up or speak for a long time and that was way, way worse."
The case will remain under review until Sept. 6, in case any other evidence is brought forward.
Lebeau was air lifted from the scene to Washington Regional Hospital in Fayetteville. He was released from the intensive care unit on Friday and will be moved to Baptist Medical Rehabilitation in Little Rock for in-patient care, Edward said.
General News on 08/24/2014