Articles Posted in Motorcycle Accidents

Pamela Cole, 44, of Stillwater was injured in an Washington motorcycle accident after her 2004 Yamaha motorcycle went off the road the afternoon of April 25, 2009, the Post Star reports. Cole was heading south on State Route 40 in Easton when her motorcycle went off the right shoulder striking the guard rail. Cole was ejected from the motorcycle. Both she and the vehicle rolled down a steep embankment. Cole was transported to a local hospital. She had suffered severe personal injuries to her arm and leg.

My heart goes out to Pamela Cole who suffered serious personal injuries as a result of this motorcycle accident. I wish her the very best for a quick and complete recovery from her injuries.

Apparently, the number of Washington State motorcycle accidents is increasing at an alarming rate, particularly the number of fatal motorcycle accidents. Just in the early part of 2009, there have been five fatal motorcycle accidents in Washington State. The total number of motorcycle accident deaths reached 75 in 2008, which is an increase of nine incidents from 66 in 2007. Totally, Washington State troopers have investigated 584 motorcycle accidents in 2008 resulting in 200 injuries.
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Fatal San Diego Motorcycle Accident

Kenneth Charles Sully, a 58-year-old Pacific Beach man, was killed in a San Diego motorcycle accident the morning of April 6, 2009, according to reports in the San Diego Union-Tribune and the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Web site. Sully was riding his 2009 Ducati motorcycle northbound on Pacific Highway when the driver of a 2006 Toyota Corolla going south on Pacific Coast Highway made a left turn at Cedar Street in front of the motorcyclist. Sully sustained severe motorcycle head injuries although he was wearing a helmet. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The woman driver of the Corolla was uninjured.

I offer my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Kenneth Charles Sully for their terrible loss. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 traffic accident statistics, there were 12 motorcycle accident fatalities and 293 injuries involving motorcycle accidents in San Diego. In San Diego County as a whole, there were 50 deaths and 985 injuries involving motorcycle accident during the same period.

In this case, based on the newspaper report, it appears that Sully had the right of way and the driver of the Toyota Corolla did not. It seems to me that she was at fault here and should be held liable for the accident and resulting injuries and damages. I would be interested to find out how she missed Sully although this is an extremely common occurrence. A number of people who drive passenger vehicles don’t look for motorcycles at intersections.
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Patrick Ellis, 54, was killed in a March 8, 2009 motorcycle accident in Apple Valley after he crashed into a horse trailer on Central Road. According to the Inland Empire & Inland Valley Breaking News report, Ellis was riding north on Central at Nisqually Road when he struck the trailer, which was being towed by a truck. Ellis was thrown from the motorcycle on impact. He was flown to an area hospital where he died a few hours after the motorcycle accident.

I offer my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Patrick Ellis for their tragic and heartbreaking loss. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to the California Highway Patrol’s 2006 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there was one fatality and six injuries involving motorcycle accidents in Apple Valley. In San Bernardino County as a whole, in 2006, 39 deaths and 507 injuries were reported as a result of motorcycle accidents.
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Anna Hernandez, 19, suffered serious injuries in a La Puente motorcycle accident the afternoon of February 15, 2009, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports in this article. The crash occurred when Hernandez, who was riding her motorcycle in the 16100 block of Central Avenue, lost control and struck a pole. She had apparently been riding her motorcycle side by side with another woman.

Roy Fontenette Jr., a former U.S. Marine, who lives across the street from where the motorcycle crash occurred, apparently ran to her aid and tried to keep her calm until emergency personnel arrived. Officials said Hernandez suffered a badly broken leg and several other injuries. Her condition is thankfully not life-threatening.

I’m glad that this motorcycle accident did not turn out worse and that Anna Hernandez did not suffer catastrophic or fatal injuries. I wish her the very best for a speedy and complete recovery from her serious injuries. I also commend the Good Samaritan, Roy Fonetenette Jr. for showing tremendous concern and kindness toward a fellow human being. His actions could have very well prevented Hernandez from having a panic attack in the middle of the street. He is a true hero in my book.
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David Golz, 29, of Long Beach died in a hit-and-run motorcycle accident the morning of February 8, 2009 after a woman ran a red light at an intersection and crashed into him. Brenda Rossal, 28, also struck Golz’s riding companion, 31-year-old James Culver, who is in the hospital with critical injuries. Rossal was traveling southbound on Cherry Avenue in a 2001 Chevy Tahoe when she ran a red light at the intersection of Cherry and Fourth Street, striking the two motorcycles heading west on Fourth. Our source for this blog was this news article in the Long Beach Press Telegram.

Rossal apparently fled the scene of the accident, but was pursued by witnesses who called police. She was arrested shortly afterward on suspicion of leaving the scene of the accident, running a red light and being an unlicensed driver. Golz was taken to a local hospital where he died. Culver suffered severe head injuries and is listed in critical condition. If you saw or know something more about this tragic accident, please call Long Beach Police Accident Investigations Detectives David Lauro or Sirilo Garcia at 562-570-7355.

My heart goes out to Golz’s family and friends as well as the injured victim, James Culver, who is fighting for his life – all because a negligent driver failed to stop at a red light and obey traffic laws. Please keep Golz’s family in your prayers. I wish Culver the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
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A man who was seriously injured in a Thousand Oaks motorcycle accident on February 2, 2009 has been identified as 33-year-old Ambrosio Rodriguez, the Ventura County Star reports in this article. The collision occurred when Rodriguez who was riding his motorcycle east on Hillcrest Drive hit a Buick Rendezvous pulling out of a parking lot near Boardwalk Avenue.

Rodriguez’s motorcycle apparently struck the passenger side of the Buick being driven by Denis Liu and the impact from the collision caused the Buick to overturn. The car came to rest on its side. Rodriguez was taken to an area hospital while Liu suffered minor injuries.

I’m relieved that this Southern California motorcycle accident did not result in catastrophic or fatal injuries. I wish Ambrosio Rodriguez the very best for a quick and complete recovery. He will be in my prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol’s 2006 statistics, there were 12 deaths and 238 injuries relating to Ventura County motorcycle accidents. In Thousand Oaks, there was one motorcycle accident fatality and 31 injuries during the same period.
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Marcus Alex Puga, 23, of Whittier, suffered critical injuries in a Bassett motorcycle accident on January 29, 2009 after he struck a big rig at an intersection, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports in this article. Puga was driving a 2005 Yamaha R6 eastbound on Valley Boulevard when the big rig in front of him slowed down to make a right turn. California Highway Patrol officials say Puga drove around the big rig, lost control and slid into one of the big rig’s tires. The investigation is still ongoing and CHP officials are asking anyone who saw this accident to call 626-338-1164.

My heart goes out to Marcus Alex Puga, this young motorcycle accident victim, who is apparently fighting for his life. I hope he makes it through this tough time. Please keep this man and his family in your prayers.

Motorcycle accidents have consistently increased over the years nationwide as well as in Los Angeles County. According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 4,810 motorcyclists were killed in traffic accidents in the year 2006. That was a 5 percent increase in motorcycle accident fatalities over 2005. According to CHP statistics released in January 2009, 96 people died in Los Angeles County alone in motorcycle accidents in 2008 compared to 58 deaths in 2001. About 1.2 million Californians have licenses to drive motorcycles, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles and that is 300,000 more riders than we had in 2001.
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Youn Bum Lee, a South Korean national who flew to Seoul a day after he was involved in a fatal Orange County DUI motorcycle accident on the 55 Freeway in October 2005, is being extradited back to Orange County on vehicular manslaughter charges. The 41-year-old Lee, who was an executive with Hyundai, was charged with gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony DUI and felony hit-and-run in connection with the death of Ryan Dallas Cook, 23, of Huntington Beach. Our source for this blog was this news report in The Orange County Register.

On the day of the accident, Lee was driving after drinking heavily at a Hyundai company party. He crashed his SUV into a concrete barrier on the 55 freeway after which the vehicle stalled. Cook was unable to stop his motorcycle in time and struck the stalled vehicle. He was thrown on to the freeway and struck by other motorists. After this accident, Lee took a late-night flight to South Korea before he could be interviewed by police. Cook’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Lee, against Hyundai and other executives in Hyundai who they accuse of helping Lee to flee the country.
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A 19-year-old motorcyclist suffered serious injuries when he crashed into a parked motor home in Thousand Oaks. According to this news report in the Ventura County Star, the teenager was riding his motorcycle eastbound in the 800 block of Calle Tulipan the afternoon of January 26, 2009 when he hit the motor home. The man was not wearing a helmet, Ventura County Sheriff’s officials said. The teen motorcyclist, whose name was not released, was taken to an area hospital for treatment.

I’m relieved that this young motorcyclist did not suffer a fatal injury in this Thousand Oaks motorcycle accident. I wish him the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.

According to the California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, in 2006, there was one fatality and 31 injuries relating to motorcycle accidents. In Ventura County as a whole, there were reportedly 11 deaths and 224 injuries relating to motorcycle accidents during the same year.
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A Los Angeles police motorcycle officer suffered injuries including a broken leg in a motorcycle accident in Atwater Village after a motorist backing her vehicle out of her driveway struck the officer. According to a news report in the Los Angeles Daily News, the collision occurred in the 3200 block of West Garden Avenue the morning of January 21, 2009. The officer’s name has not been released.

I’m relieved that this on-duty officer did not suffer a catastrophic or fatal Los Angeles motorcycle accident. I wish him the very best for a quick and complete recovery.

According to California Highway Patrol’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, in 2006, 21 fatalities and 786 injuries were reported as a result of motorcycle accidents in the city of Los Angeles. In the county as a whole, there were 78 deaths and 2,168 injuries that occurred as a result of motorcycle accidents during the same period.
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