A man found near his overturned Moped in a Carthage shopping center was rushed to a hospital Tuesday afternoon.

Apparently he lay bleeding and unconscious for an undetermined time after jumping a curb at the north end of the Food Lion center. Passersby called 911 and the Rescue Squad arrived to assist.

Chief Chris McKenzie arrived at the scene with other officers who began investigating the accident. They found an identity card they said indicated his last name to be Brown, and discovered a helmet that had rolled away under bushes. There was no immediate way to tell whether or not the helmet was his. They carefully examined the blue Yamaha and every mark on pavement, curb and where the crashing scooter dug into dirt as it hit.

A Highway Patrol officer who specializes in crash reconstruction arrived to assist in the investigation as police officers made their way from shop to shop in the center seeking any information about the man.

According to McKenzie, the accident victim looked to be a white man in his 50s.

"He was in pretty bad shape," the chief said. "They might have to fly him out."