UPDATED at 2 p.m. Monday after St. Louis Police said the man was not riding the scooter

ST. LOUIS • A man who died shortly after he was found in cardiac arrest near an electric Lime scooter was walking with the scooter in tow when he suffered a sudden medical emergency, St. Louis police say.

Fire officials initially said it appeared the man had crashed the scooter into a tree, either before or after suffering a heart attack. The man was believed to have crashed shortly before 10 p.m. near Grand Boulevard and Penrose Street, Capt. Leon Whitener with the St. Louis Fire Department said Sunday.

The man, 25, was in cardiac arrest when paramedics arrived and was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Whitener said.

Police said Monday that the man was not riding the scooter. He had been walking north on the sidewalk with the scooter in tow when he suffered an apparent medical emergency and collapsed, police said.

Officers responded to a call for help from bystanders who found the man on the sidewalk unconscious and not breathing. Narcotics were found at the scene, police said.

Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editor, Mandy St. Amand. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.