An 81-year-old Coconut Grove man and his wife are speaking out for the first time after being struck from behind earlier this month by a teenager riding an electric dirt bike.
CBS News Miami sat down exclusively with Hank Klein and his 76-year-old wife, Lisa Sloat, just days after they returned home from Mercy Hospital, where they had been recovering since the January 11th crash.
According to a Miami Police crash report, a 15-year-old lost control of his dirt bike and slid into both pedestrians. Citations are pending against the driver.
Klein and Sloat are now recuperating at home with assistance from aides and therapists. Klein described the crash, which happened around 11 a.m. near the entrance to Kennedy Park on South Bayshore Drive, as so severe that he was knocked unconscious and suffered a head wound with bleeding on his brain.
The report estimated the bike was traveling at 20 miles per hour, below the posted speed limit of 30 miles per hour. Sloat sustained a fractured ankle and must keep her leg elevated, relying on a walker to get around. Klein’s left arm is in a sling, and he also needs a cane to walk. Both say their recoveries will take months.
“I am not really happy about it at all,” Klein said, breaking down as he recalled the incident. “We were returning from Starbucks, and the next thing I knew, I was in the emergency room. They put 12 staples in my skull.”
Sloat added, “What we really care about is that this doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
Klein believes age restrictions and registration should apply to e-bike users and that police should enforce penalties for dangerous behavior.
“Every day is a struggle,” Klein said. “I’m making progress, but it’s rough.”
Sloat described her injury: “I broke my fibula on my right foot. I have a walker, but I have to hop. It will be six weeks before I can bear weight. Things like showering are difficult because of the cast.”
Sloat also advocated for mandatory insurance for e-bikes and dirt bikes.
The couple has hired attorney Michael Goldfarb, who may file claims for compensation. Goldfarb emphasized it is unacceptable for vehicles like dirt bikes to operate on pedestrian-friendly roads and encouraged Floridians to purchase uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
Klein and Sloat plan to write to local officials about the dangers of e-bikes and support a proposed bill limiting e-bike speed to 10 miles per hour on sidewalks and pedestrian areas.
