The British millionaire and philanthropist who purchased battery-powered scooter-type thing company Segway less than a year ago died yesterday while tooling around his property on one of his own devices.

A rep for his company, Hesco Bastion confirmed the death of the 62-year-old: “It is with great sadness that we have to confirm that Jimi Heselden OBE has died in a tragic accident near his home in West Yorkshire.”

According to reports, Heselden went off a cliff and into a river while riding on his off-road Segway. Police have said the incident “is not believed to be suspicious.”

Heselden was the main man behind the Dec. 2009 purchase of New Hampshire-based Segway. The device recently rolled its way onto Time Magazine’s Worst Inventions List.

Segway boss Jimi Heselden dies in scooter cliff fall [BBC]

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