McMinnville motorcycle rider killed
A McMinnville man was killed about 1 p.m. Saturday, July 20, when he lost control of his 2000 Kawasaki ZX9 motorcycle and was thrown from the bike. His helmet came off in the crash, McMinnville police said.
Cooper D. Erickson, 21, was fatally injured in the wreck on Hill Road near S.W. Redmond Hill Road.
Witnesses told police that the biker was traveling at a high rate of speed when he lost control. Both he and the motorcycle continued in a high-speed slide on the roadway and shoulder, police said.
After sliding about 250 feet, they hit the passenger side of a 2012 Ford F150 pickup that was turning left into a private driveway on the east side of S.W. Hill Road.
Police said occupents of the pickup were not injured.
Erickson was taken by ambulance to Willamette Valley Medical Center, then flown by Life Flight helicopter to the trauma center at Oregon Health Science University in Portland. He died at OHSU.
Oregon State Police assisted with the investigation. McMinnville police said they don't expect to issue any charges or citations.
Comments
Bill B
Seems unlikely that the motorcyclist would loose control on a straightaway regardless of speed unless something (like a vehicle turning in front of him) caused him to lose control. Very difficult to assess speed while standing.
hikerboy
Hill Road is a speedway. I think the city could do much better policing the 35 mph speed limit between W. 2nd and Alexandria. Prayers to the family and friends of the young man,a senseless tragedy.
RBFduran
I agree with you Bob B.
Based on the article above, it appears that the 2012 Ford F150 turned in front of Cooper as he was riding his motorcycle down Hill Road. Not saying that he was not speeding, but it sure does appear that this fatal accident was not just because he was "traveling at a high rate of speed". This vehicle should not have turned in front of him! I also don't understand how the driver of the ford pickup isn't expected to receive any charges or citations. This sounds real stinky to me!
Sounds like a possible civil case.
tagup
Pretty hard to argue a civil case for damages if the driver was speeding…
Queen Bee
Bill B people wreck all the time on straightaways and the majority of the time it is because they were speeding. In this case speeding and inexperience resulted in unnecessary tragedy.
RBFduran it may make it much more clear to you if you went to the scene of the accident and looked at all the investigation markings. The pickup was fully in the driveway of a residence and the motorcycle had lost control ~ 250ft prior to making contact with the vehicle, you can see based on all the markings the bike was sliding at a high rate of speed on the shoulder of the road hit a culvert, mailbox and the bike came to rest in the driveway so not really sure how you feel the truck would be at fault at all. Further the speed is 35 and when a driver attempts to drive at excessive speeds WELL above the posted speed they are asking for trouble! It is tragic for all involved and this will hopefully open up people eyes of all ages DO NOT SPEED!!!! IT IS NOT WORTH YOUR LIFE OR ANYONE ELSES!!!
Bill B
Queen - You seem to be not taking the physics of a vehicle in motion in to account. Even at 35 mph, a vehicle travels aprox. 50 feet each second. Who knows what really happened, but at the very least an accident reconstruction should have been done.