Just donated $15 mill to charity
If you think the Segway owner dying in a Segway accident is funny, you'reheartless
James HeseldenHandout photo by Andy Paraskos/AP
Segway owner Jimi Heselden died yesterday in a freak segging accident. The multi-millionaire, who made his fortune in defense and bought the cutting-edge transportation company last December, rode a rugged off-road Segway prototype off a cliff and into a river on his United Kingdom estate.
Heselden was 62 years old, and had been counted among Britain's richest men. He's worth more than $263 million and just last week donated more than $15 million to his charitable foundation. A former miner, Heselden lived and worked near his working-class childhood neighborhood and had quietly given back to the community for years.
The Guardian reports that Heselden was test-driving a new, cross-country version of the American-invented machine when he lost control and skidded over a precipice into the river below.
It remains to be seen whether the accident was the result of a mechanical malfunction or user error. One would think that a device advanced enough to balance on its own accord and steer with what comes close to intuition would have some mechanism that prevents it from, say, accelerating off a cliff.
Police say at this time they don't believe the death is suspicious.
