Extreme Sports Star Dies After Motocross Backflip Crash

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — A Californian motocross star died of head injuries two days after crashing while trying to land a backflip in a competition.

Jeremy Lusk, 24, a gold medalist at the 2008 X Games, was injured Saturday night when he failed to complete a full rotation while attempting a "Hart Attack" backflip and slammed headfirst into the dirt.

The Temecula, Calif., resident was taken to Calderon Hospital in San Jose, Costa Rica, where he was diagnosed with a subdural hematoma and survived a 4 1/2-hour surgery to help remedy the problem and reduce swelling in his brain, the North County Times reported. He was then placed into a medically induced coma but never regained consciousness, according to the paper.

Lusk crashed in almost identical fashion in the freestyle semifinals at the 2007 X Games but was unhurt.

Lush had a successful 2008 season, winning freestyle gold at the X games and silver in Best Trick when he landed the first double-grab "Hart Attack" backflip. He won a bronze helmet in freestyle at the Moto X World Championships in his hometown of San Diego.
     
Lusk is survived by his wife, Lauren.
 

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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