Three tire-piercing spikes were discovered near the site where a Nocatee teen shattered his ankle and suffered a concussion in a severe e-bike crash this week, his parents told The Citizen.
Mike and Irene Hancin said their 13-year-old son, Aydan, was riding his e-bike down Crosswater Parkway near at Bluewater Drive when his tire popped, sending him hurtling to the pavement.
Aydan, who was wearing a helmet, lost consciousness for about a minute after slamming his head on the ground and wrenching his ankle.
After regaining his senses, he managed to call his mom, Irene, who rushed to the scene and found her son bleeding heavily from his left ankle and badly disoriented.
“There was blood everywhere,” she said. “It was awful. But at that point, we just thought he it was a bike accident. Nothing more to it.”
Once Aydan was taken to the ER by ambulance, doctors discovered something unusual: two deep puncture wounds near his ankle, his parents said. The physician confirmed he had two badly fractured bones above his foot and sustained a concussion.
“The doctor told us to check the area where he fell to see if there was anything that could have caused that kind of damage,” Mike said. “We started to put it together.”
As reported by The Citizen last week, a local resident posted on Facebook about discovering several barbed spikes along that same stretch of roadway after her son took a fall. He wasn’t seriously hurt, but she warned that the objects could cause serious harm.
A friend of Irene called to ask where Aydan fell, and told her that spikes had been discovered in the same area.
Determined to find out what happened, Mike returned to the crash site with friends and their kids Wednesday night to search the area.
“A man in the search party found three spikes,” he said. “One of them had blood on it. I couldn’t believe it, it was shocking. Someone called police at that point.”
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office posted a warning about the spikes on Facebook Thursday.
“SJSO has received two reports of punctured tires at this time,” the agency said. “SJSO is investigating these complaints, and the Tolomato Community Development District is assisting with cleanup and has implemented measures to locate spikes.”
To stabilize Aydan’s ankle, surgeons inserted two screws above his foot. Because they had to be placed in his growth plates, they’ll need to be removed within six months.
“The injury required complex emergency surgery,” read a GoFundMe campaign created to help the Hancins with mounting medical expenses. “Due to complications from the puncture wounds caused by the spike found at the scene, Aydan also needs additional wound care, IV antibiotics, and a longer hospitalization.”
Aydan’s parents say the past few days have been nothing short of a nightmare — and the recovery ahead will be long and painful.
“We’re just thankful he’s alive,” Mike said. “This could have been a lot worse. But we’re just praying to God and thanking Him that Aydan is with us. The outpouring of support from the community has been incredible, and we’re so grateful.”
The incident — along with scattered reports of popped tires along the same stretch — comes amid growing tension over e-bike use in the area.
Local Facebook groups have been flooded with complaints from some residents about unsafe e-bike operation in the popular master-planned community.
The source of the barbed spikes — which have been found in grassy areas along Crosswater Parkway — remains unknown.
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