On May 17, 2017, Hayden was hit by a car while riding his bicycle near Rimini, Italy. Hayden was riding alone at the time of the accident which took place at around 14:00 CEST (UTC+2).
Earlier he had ridden with his friend Denis Pazzaglini at some point in the morning or early afternoon. Hayden’s final Instagram photo shows the two together and confirms that Hayden was wearing a helmet. The crash occurred at the intersection of Via Ca’ Raffaelli and Via Tavoleto in Misano Adriatico. Hayden was traveling west on Via Ca’ Raffaelli when he was struck by a Peugeot 207CC as he entered the street to cross Via Tavoleto.
The driver of the car stated that he was on his way to work when Hayden passed through a stop sign and suddenly appeared in front of him. He was unable to avoid a collision. The speed of the driver is not yet known but the impact of Hayden slamming into the windshield was strong enough to completely shatter it and dent down the roof of the car. Hayden’s bicycle was found in the nearby ditch with its frame snapped in half. According to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport a security camera recorded the crash, displaying Hayden apparently not halting at a stop sign and possibly distracted by his iPod.
Hayden was taken to Rimini hospital with severe injuries, and was subsequently moved to the major trauma unit at the Maurizio Bufalini Hospital in Cesena for possible surgery. Hayden’s injuries were so severe that he was not placed into a medically induced coma and did not receive any surgery. Whether Hayden was in a natural coma or not during his last days is not known.
The extent of Hayden’s injuries was described as polytrauma including a traumatic brain injury that resulted in severe cerebral damage. He also suffered a broken femur, broken pelvis, and multiple fractured vertebrae. As a result of the injuries, Hayden was placed on life support in an intensive care unit. After no signs of recovery Hayden died in the hospital on May 22, 2017, five days after the accident.