Motorcyclist Crashes with Semi, Truck Driver Uninjured

Motorcyclist victims in crashes never get respect.  Yes, there are times when they are totally at fault for their crash for driving without proper care, but more than half of all crashes involve other vehicles and there are a lot of times when the police and media heap the blame on a motorcyclist driving lawfully and without any fault, while absolving the other parties that were totally at fault.  A case in point happened at Berrien County on Monday, three media reported on the incident, the first from ABC-57:

Motorcyclist dies after crash in Oronoko Township

BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. – One person is dead after a crash between a semi and motorcycle Tuesday evening, the Berrien Springs Oronoko Twp. Police reported.

At 5:08 p.m., police were called to E. Lemon Creek Road at Lauer Road for reports of a personal injury crash with one person unresponsive...

Journalists typically include the who, what, where, when, how, and why in the first paragraph or two in news articles they write.  The above medium doesn't explain the how until a bit further down, where most readers may not even get to, assuming the biker did something dumb or that it was nobody's fault.  The complete WOOD TV article on the topic is below.  The reader understands that a crash occurred in an intersection between the bike and semi but there is no indication of who had the right-of-way, and who was victimized.

Motorcycle driver dies after crash with semi-truck in Berrien Co.

ORONOKO TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — A motorcycle driver has died after a crash in Berrien County Tuesday.

The crash happened around 5 p.m. at the intersection of E. Lemon Creek Road and Lauer Road in Oronoko Township near Berrien Springs.

The motorcycle crashed with a semi-truck in the intersection, the Berrien Springs Ornoko Township Police said in a Wednesday release.

The motorcycle driver was pronounced dead on the scene.

Authorities have identified him as Robert Allen Lucas, 41, from Berrien Springs.

The driver of the semi-truck was not injured.

The crash is still under investigation.

The third article explains it the best, yet the headline is deceptive:

Berrien Springs motorcyclist dies after crash involving semi

BERRIEN SPRINGS, Mich. — One person is dead after a Tuesday evening crash in Berrien County involving a motorcycle and a semi.

The Berrien Springs Oronoko Township Police Department was dispatched about 5:10 p.m. to E. Lemon Creek and Lauer roads, according to a news release Wednesday.

On arrival, officers found that an eastbound motorcycle – operated by 41-year-old Robert Allen Lucas of Berrien Springs – had collided with a semi at the intersection.

The semi, driven by 44-year-old Timothy Allen Gallo of Demotte, Indiana, was westbound and turning south onto Lauer Road, police said.

Lucas was pronounced dead at the scene from injuries sustained in the crash. Police have notified his next of kin.

Gallo was not injured.

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office Accident Investigation Team is reconstructing the crash.

We find from the police that a motorcyclist was going east, and a semi was going west on the same road.  The semi turned in front of the motorcyclist, causing the death of the rider.  Instead of telling us that the semi driver was uninjured (duh!), why can't the media report that for some reason the police did not decide to arrest the person that caused the death of another by their own careless driving?  Why didn't the release by the police tell us that the semi driver was going to be charged with the crime of a moving violation causing the death of another?  

Trucker Gallo was not injured.  Robert Lucas was dead from injuries he should have never received.  Had Lucas not been wearing a helmet, he would probably have his name dragged further in the coals for riding unsafely by the media and the police.  He was not to blame.

Views: 287

Replies to This Discussion

Another sad loss due to ppl. being careless and not looking out carefully for bikers. Another seemingly unnecessary accident for all bikers that need to be seen and looked for while driving in the summer months.

RSS

© 2024   Created by XLFD.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service