Segway owner dies in freak Segway cliff accident

FORT WORTH, TX  JANUARY 14 -  Actor and comedian Kevin James skids out in the infield grass while celebrating after racing NASCAR stock cars with his Segway to promote the release of his new movie, 'Paul Blart: Mall Cop' at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas.  James was not injured in the fall.  (Photo By Tom Pennington/Getty Images for the Texas Motor Speedway)

British businessman Jimi Heselden, who purchased the Segway company just under a year ago, died in a freak accident on one of the company’s scooters over the weekend.

According to several British media sources the 62-year-old multi-millionaire plunged off of a cliff side and into the River Wharfe while out scooting on an offroad version of the two-wheeled transportation device.  A spokesperson told the Daily Mail that:

“Police were called at 11.40 a.m. yesterday to reports of a man in the River Wharfe, apparently having fallen from the cliffs above.”

There is nothing suspicious about the death according to authorities.  A Segway was recovered at the scene.

Heselden was a self made man who remained close to the place that he grew up.  He also was a noted philanthropist having recently donated $15 million dollars to the Leeds Community Foundation, which assists disadvantaged neighborhoods of the British city which bears its name.

As a tribute to Mr. Heselden here is a montage of world reknowned Segway user Gob Bluth from TV’s Arrested Development:

Top Photo: Tom Pennington/Getty Images