Alex youth expected to recover from golf cart accident
Aug. 16—ALEXANDRIA — What was supposed to be a fun day with friends turned into a potentially life-altering tragedy for Franklin Cambridge, a 12-year-old Alexandria resident.
Sunday, Aug. 6, Cambridge was playing on a golf cart with a group of peers near Alexandria Church of the Nazarene on Harrison Street, when he fell off the back of the cart.
He was rushed to Community Hospital Anderson and later, Peyton Manning Children's Hospital in Indianapolis, where it was determined he had a fractured skull.
He is expected to recover. However, there may be long-term consequences.
Franklin has experienced hearing loss on his left side, where the injury occurred, according to his mother, Cari Cambridge.
It is unknown if the hearing loss is permanent. Cari said they will be seeing a hearing specialist in a week to find out.
Cari said she typically doesn't allow her children to play with golf carts, but an unnamed third party convinced her to allow it that one time.
Later that day, there was a knock at Cari's back door. On the other side was a police officer and a paramedic.
"I said, 'Is this about Franklin?' and they said, 'He had an accident,'" Cari recalled. "I could tell by the paramedic's face, it was not just a bump on the head."
Franklin spent two nights at Peyton Manning Children's Hospital before being discharged. His mom said he is still healing from the injury.
The accident prompted discussion from the city council during its meeting on Aug. 7, the day after the accident.
Councilwoman Patty Kuhn said the city has a golf cart ordinance, Ordinance 1551, which requires that those driving on city streets have a valid driver's license.
According to a copy posted in 2019 on the City of Alexandria Facebook page, operators/owners must have the following:
* A valid Indiana driver's license.
* Seatbelts for all passengers in the golf cart, which must be securely fastened around each passenger.
* Property damage and bodily injury insurance.
* Only two persons in the front and rear seats (if applicable).
* A maximum speed limit of 15 mph.
Mayor Todd Naselroad told the council he would speak with the police chief regarding the ordinance.
The Herald Bulletin reached out to Assistant Police Chief Brian Holtzleiter and Mayor Todd Naselroad, but neither have responded as of Tuesday.
Cari Cambridge is grateful the council discussed the city's golf cart ordinance and its enforcement.
She hopes residents, especially parents, will heed the ordinance to prevent future incidents.
Franklin's accident wasn't his family's first brush with tragedy.
His sister, Charlotte, battled a hepatoblastoma, an abnormal liver cell tumor, three times from 2015 to 2017, Cambridge said.
She was given zero chance of survival. She will be turning 10 in October. Cari said her daughter is a "medical miracle."
Franklin's father, Mo Cambridge, is battling end stage renal disease and requires a kidney transplant.
Franklin's accident, Cari said, was "devastating" but she's thankful her son is recovering.
Follow Caleb Amick on Twitter @AmickCaleb. Contact him at caleb.amick@heraldbulletin.com or 765-648-4254.
