Just got the press release from MPD:

“(Washington, DC) –Investigators assigned to the Metropolitan Police Department’s Major Crash Unit are investigating a fatal traffic crash.

At approximately 11:15 pm on Wednesday, November 4, 2009, the operator of a motor scooter was traveling in the intersection of 16th and Emerson Streets, NW, mounted a curb and collided with a light pole causing him to fall from the scooter. The operator sustain sever head trauma and was pronounced on the scene.

The identity of the decedent is being withheld until next-of-kin is notified.

The investigation is ongoing.”

I’m going to guess helmetless, unlicensed operator, unregistered and uninsured scooter. DC is also the ONLY ‘state’ licensing authority that doesn’t offer, require or even support Motorcycle Safety Foundation [msf-usa.org] motorcycle/scooter training courses or something similar. Lack of any enforcement of helmets/licenses/registration/insurance for scooter riders is also non-existent. We’ll probably see a few more deaths like this before the city council or MPD makes a big stink and the enforcement pendulum swings in the opposite direction. Scooter riders should step up – the laws are right here:
http://dmv.washingtondc.gov/info/forms/NontraditionalMotorVehiclechart_pdf.shtm