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Man killed riding E-bike in Chicago suburb identified
A man riding an electric bike in Franklin Park died after a collision with a vehicle Tuesday morning.
FRANKLIN PARK, Ill. - A 19-year-old man who died after an e-bike crash in Chicago's northwest suburbs Tuesday morning has been identified.
What we know:
The crash happened around 6:30 a.m. at the intersection of Belmont Avenue and George Street in Franklin Park, just east of Mannheim Road.
Officials said Luis Toaquiza was riding an e-bike when it collided with a vehicle driven by a 63-year-old man. Paramedics took Toaquiza to Loyola University Medical Center, where he died about a half hour later.
The driver remained at the scene and cooperated with Franklin Park police during the investigation.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear how the crash occurred. No citations or charges have been announced.
Franklin Park police continue investigating.
The backstory:
The fatal crash comes amid growing concerns about safety involving e-bikes, scooters and other micromobility vehicles across Illinois.
State lawmakers recently approved legislation intended to create a statewide framework governing the use of certain e-bikes and similar vehicles. The bill passed in April and is awaiting Gov. JB Pritzker's signature.
If signed into law, which would take effect Jan. 1, 2027, the measure would:
- Cap vehicle speeds at 28 mph.
- Require riders to be at least 16 years old.
- Require owners to have a driver's license.
- Require registration and insurance.
Current owners would be exempt from obtaining a title for their vehicle but would still need to register it under the proposed law.
Supporters say the legislation would establish consistent statewide rules, replacing a patchwork of local ordinances that vary from one community to another.
The Source: The information in this story came from the Franklin Park Police Department, the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office, and Illinois lawmakers.