‘Thrill-seeking’ Georgia mayor killed in stunt crash at motocross event

Perry Bell, 54, was recently sworn in as mayor of White, Georgia in June of this year

The mayor of a small Georgia town has died after suffering a tragic accident at a motocross event.

Perry Bell, 54, was elected mayor of White in a special election held earlier this year and he had only assumed office in June, just a few months before his untimely death on Saturday.

The mayor, described by friends online as having a voracious passion for thrill-seeking activities like off-road motorcycle racing, base jumping, sky diving and race car driving, died while competing in the Lazy River Motocross at a track near Dalton, Georgia.

According to The Daily Tribune News, Murray County Deputy Coroner Jonathan Sosebee confirmed that Bell died as a result of blunt force trauma to the chest after he was struck by another competitor in the Lazy River Motocross.

Officials said that while Bell was performing a stunt on the track, located about 90 miles northwest of Atlanta, he collided with another motorcyclist.

Perry Bell, a recently elected mayor in the Georgia town of White, died while competing at a motocross event over the weekend in Dalton, Georgia (WSBTV/video screengrab)

“It was an unavoidable accident,” Mr Sosebee said. “From what I understand, he was on a jump and then he crashed on top of a jump. There was another rider right behind him and he was unable to do anything … he wasn’t able to see him to avoid it.”

The injuries that Bell suffered were so severe that the man was unable to be airlifted to another hospital, and ultimately succumbed to his injuries while being treated at centre in Chatsworth, about a 20-minute drive away from the track.

Interim mayor Gary Crisp told WSBTV in an interview after the incident that the town will likely hold another special election in the near future, and that he would take over mayoral duties in the meantime.

“He was just a caring person for the community and wanted to help the people that live here,” said Mr Crisp in an interview with the local TV station.

In a Facebook post, a friend of the former mayor’s commemorated a man who he characterised as both a “legend” and a “true friend”.

“RIP Perry Bell. I can’t believe I just typed that. Unfortunately a post can’t say enough to capture the essence of this man. A true friend and much more,” wrote Roy Cicola online, noting that the 54-year-old leaves behind many loved ones including a brother and sisters. “He accomplished so much in a short period of time,” Mr Cicola added. “I know if given the chance he would’ve made the town he fell in love with a better place to live for all the residents.”