2 seriously injured in motorcycle-car crash west of Ann Arbor
Updated: 2 injured in Monday motorcycle crash in serious but stable condition
Two people suffered serious injuries and had to be hospitalized after the motorcycle they were riding crashed with a Toyota Prius in Scio Township Monday afternoon.
Huron Valley Ambulance spokeswoman Joyce Williams said police and medical personnel were dispatched at 12:47 p.m. Monday to Huron River Drive and Loch Alpine Drive for a report of a crash. Williams said both of the injured people were on the motorcycle at the time of the collision.
Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Geoffrey Fox said one person was in critical condition and the other was in serious condition following the crash. Both people were taken to the University of Michigan Hospital’s emergency room for treatment.
It’s not clear at this point how the crash happened; Fox said deputies were still on scene investigating the crash. Huron River Drive will be shut down until about 3 p.m. Monday in that area for investigation, Fox said.
It’s unknown if the motorcyclists were wearing helmets at the time of the crash.
More details are expected on the incident later on Monday.
Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Kyle Feldscher
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 3:16 p.m.
I've made contact with Sgt. Fox for an update on this story, that should come later on today.
MIrunner
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 1:09 p.m.
I was running west on HRD and was approximately 200 feet from the accident. I witnessed the entire event. The motorcycle rider did nothing wrong. The elderly lady pulled out of Loch Alpine DR East after stopping. The motorcycle was about 50-75 feet from the car and could not stop. It was not a head on crash, the motorcycle hit at the forward end of the driver's door. The motorcyclists were both wearing helmets and were just enjoying the drive on HRD. I hope they are both doing better today.
A A Resident
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 2:46 p.m.
Bcar, the most common response from the car driver in a situation like that is that they didn't see (notice) the motorcycle. So if you see a motorcycle using obnoxiously bright and irritating headlights during the daytime, that's what's up.
Bcar
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 2 p.m.
Also, did the lady just stop in front of them when she saw them comming or did she floor it and try to get out of the way?
Bcar
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 1:59 p.m.
Edit, some elderly (and young people) are impaired drivers even without anything in their system. Its time we started testing them!!!
Bcar
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 1:59 p.m.
damn, sorry you had to see/hear that... And I hope the old lady gets charged and thrown in jail. there is a big difference between an "accident" and negligence.
Sam S Smith
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 12:46 p.m.
Special thoughts and prayers for the 2 motorcyclists and the car driver, their families and friends!
Bcar
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 12:43 p.m.
When-o-when are we going to start requiring better drivers-ed and testing for people under 21 and over 65!?!?! Oh yeah, when people over 65 stop voting in great numbers... what a shame/sham.
JJ
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 12:03 p.m.
Eye witness indicates - the MC driver was doing speed limit. - an older women driving a Prius. Investigation underway. Ha. Ooohhhhhhhh Kay.
Atlas Shrugged
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 3:09 a.m.
"Nobody speeds on Huron River Drive." That came from the mouth of a WCSD deputy on the scene of a car-bicycle accident about 1/2 mile east of where today's accident occurred. Approaching there from the east there's a blind curve that heads downward. The accident to which I refer was at the bottom of that down-hill portion. Westbound traffic was stopped and backed up, eventually to the point that the last cars were right at the blind curve. I spoke with the deputy and offered to place flares before the curve to avoid yet another crash involving cars rounding the blind corner/bend. Her response? "No need for that, nobody speeds on HRD." Yeah, right. I only wish I had the presence of mind to take her badge number. HRD is, indeed, beautiful, but also heavily curved with many a blind spot, and as others have noted is a favorite place for bicyclists... many of whom think they own the road or are totally oblivious to motor traffic.
Joe Kidd
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 1:54 p.m.
Billy, in regard to bike riding "two abreast," as they call it, here is the Michigan law: http://www.legislature.mi.gov/%28S%28eim3qj45sksup4vz0343pn45%29%29/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=mcl-257-660b The two you encountered apparently know the law. If I am doing it, which is rare, I go single file just to be courteous. It is however no different than encountering a slow moving car or truck.
A A Resident
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 1:05 p.m.
And one could easily be driving the speed limit, come around a corner to encounter stopped traffic, and not be able to stop in time.
Billy
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 12:39 p.m.
Wow....I would have entirely taken that officer to task for that comment of sheer ignorance, because I have personally witnessed sheriff's deputies TEARING down HRD before. They were going WELL over the speed limit without lights or sirens. Not to mention everyone I know likes to go at least 5 over down HRD. Also...regarding bicyclists owning the road. Although I've noticed them having a LOT more respect than they did 10 years ago.....yesterday while I was out I had a bicyclist refuse to stop riding side by side with his friend. His friend was in the bicycle lane, but he stayed in the automobile lane and refused to get over. I would have thought he didn't see me or something....but he looked back over his shoulder and stayed where he was... He was the only one out of a couple dozen that I passed that acted entitled and rude however. In general, I've had much better experiences recently with bicyclists sharing HRD.
A A Resident
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 11:48 a.m.
It's a shame about that deputy, and you gave great advice.
MoonmanDon
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 2:15 a.m.
I work yarns out that way, it was weird to hear sirens that far out of the city.Knew it must have been serious. hope everyone envolved wil be ok.
AlwaysLate
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 2:05 a.m.
Kyle Feldscher... With the sentence: "It's unknown if the motorcyclists were wearing helmets at the time of the crash." Are you suggesting that the wearing of helmets...or not wearing of helmets...was somehow a cause of the accident? If not, you are showing a bias against motorcycle riders who do not wear helmets (Which is not against the law in Michigan, by the way.). A bias that should not be in your reporting... The wearing of helmets is a factor in surviving an accident or reducing head injury in an accident...not the cause of an accident. That sentence is only pertinant if you had been reporting on the severity and types of the injuries. Which you were not doing... Report the news as a news reporter. Not as a shill for the insurance industry. Otherwise, go into Editorials.
Kyle Feldscher
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 3:14 p.m.
AlwaysLate- I included that sentence because the severity of injuries suffered in a crash can be determined by whether a rider was wearing a helmet or not. I was not speculating on the cause.
A A Resident
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 2:38 p.m.
Bcar, I think the bigger idiots are those who worked to repeal the helmet law. Most motorcyclists were more-or-less OK with wearing them when everyone else did, and when it was the law. Maybe helmets should become optional for pro football too. LOL
AlwaysLate
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 1:40 p.m.
AA Resident: You would be correct if Kyle was reporting in depth about the injuries. But, he wasn't. Pay close attention to A2.com reporting of accidents. Seat belt & helmet use is always mentioned, but never in relation to injuries. JJ: "...stipid, insane, dumb, etc, etc..." Perhaps...but not illegal. And not a cause of accidents. BCar: Statements about seat belts & helmets are always used out of context by A2.com. Unless reporting about injuries, including it in every accident report is bad reporting and shows bias.
Bcar
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 12:40 p.m.
alwayslate "It's unknown if the motorcyclists were wearing helmets at the time of the crash" is a statement, that is all... you can twist it however you want...
A A Resident
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 10:34 a.m.
"Are you suggesting that the wearing of helmets...or not wearing of helmets...was somehow a cause of the accident?" AlwaysLate, why would you think he's suggesting that? For most of us, helmet use relates so strongly and obviously to injury reduction (not accident avoidance) that no further specificity is needed. Your rant about the sentence merely exposes your own bias.
kacuna33
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 12:01 a.m.
I was the first one on the scene at this crash as I was on my way to play golf at Ann Arbor Country Club. Both of the motorists were wearing helmets (a young man and woman). The young man was the one that was on the windshield. The woman was thrown from the bike about 10-15 feet. She had no visible injuries but was bleeding from the mouth. The young man seemed the be in worse shape. The driver of the Prius was an older woman who took too sharp of a turn left and hit them with a head on collision. Other than that information I cannot tell you much.
Martha Cojelona Gratis
Mon, Jun 17, 2013 : 10:44 p.m.
Two vehicles I would never drive.. for different reasons.
Corwin
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 7:32 p.m.
I guess those reasons have nothing to do with fuel efficiency then.
Bcar
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 12:38 p.m.
:)
Austin
Mon, Jun 17, 2013 : 10:32 p.m.
I live in LA and my dad was out running west of the eastern entrance when it happened. He actually saw the motorcycle go by. We have close friends who live on the corner there as well who were some of he first o respond, most likely the ones who called 911. My dad's running buddy was actually out as well and saw the entire thing happen. From what has been explained to me through my dad's observations and his friend's recollection, the motorcycle was going west, doing the speed limit. My dad says that he remembers the man having a helmet on and doesn't think the woman did. The Prius pulled out right in front of the motorcycle and the motorcycle locked up their brakes. The woman in the car may have tried to swerve which would explain the almost head on collision. The man on the motorcycle flew straight into the front of the Prius, leaving a huge dent. The woman flew over the car and onto the road there. There was a fair amount of blood on the scene and the roads were closed for hours. That's my investigative reporting for the day.
GoNavy
Mon, Jun 17, 2013 : 10:09 p.m.
I'd really love to hear a follow-up on this story.
Ann English
Mon, Jun 17, 2013 : 7:44 p.m.
A2pilot, From your observations, it does sound like it wasn't the typical motorcycle-hits-side-of-car-turning-left-from-opposite-direction accident; front-end damage to the Prius couldn't happen from that sort of collision. Winding Curves; Drive Carefully signs are along that stretch of Huron River Drive.
Bcar
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 12:37 p.m.
or a2pilot, downshit and pass you. HRD needs pull-offs like the Tail of the Dragon. some people actually enjoy winding roads.
a2pilot
Mon, Jun 17, 2013 : 11:41 p.m.
Austin pretty much summed it up, it was definitely not a side impact. I thought for sure it was a fatal, I hope they make it through ok. It's a beautiful area but we have so much traffic because it is such a nice drive. There was a fatal motocycle(only vehicle involved) accident maybe 300 yards east around the bend of this exact spot 2 or 3 years ago now, the yellow paint from the investigation is still on the pavement in the WB lane and it's a constant reminder about the dangerous curves. Too many bends, a lot of traffic and a lot of wildlife, if you get stuck behind me and don't like it because I go 35 and won't pass a bike because I can't see far enough ahead, sorry, get off HRD and get on Miller or 94 if you are in a hurry.
Billy
Mon, Jun 17, 2013 : 7:35 p.m.
Have they said anything about whether it was a head-on type collision or a side impact type collision? Came across this earlier and had to turn around because they were doing accident investigation. The bike didn't look good at all. The damage looked like high speed damage....which makes me think head on.
nvragain
Mon, Jun 17, 2013 : 7:15 p.m.
Having grown up in Loch Alpine, I have to say that an accidnet like this was almost forseeable. Coming from the east on HRD, you have a slight right corner before you reach a fairly long stretch of straight road, about the longest stretch on any part of HRD except for maybe just east of Wagner Road. This road is loved by motorcyclist and cyclist d/t the windy road and scenic views. With that being said, IF you are going faster than the posted speed of 35mph around this said corner, and a car is pulling out Loch Alpine Drive, it is very dangerous. The corner has a lot of foilage which makes it hard to see cars coming around the corner from the east. One has to wonder IF speed was the major factor in this accident, and a cause for it to not been avoided. To the motorcyclist and the driver, we can only hope for a speedy recovery.
Joe Kidd
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 1:41 p.m.
I like to bicycle on HRD and IMHO very few seem to follow the speed limits.
Dave
Mon, Jun 17, 2013 : 6:41 p.m.
Any word on helmets?
Joe Kidd
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 1:40 p.m.
My first thought too Alwayslate. The reason is the fact in that article, "serious ijuries." I think the worst thing the governor has done during his term is to sign the law allowing motorcyclists to ride without helmets. During a time when the high cost of health care is a serious problem, no actions should be allowed that will add to the costs.
AlwaysLate
Tue, Jun 18, 2013 : 2:11 a.m.
Why, in your mind, are helmets relevant? is it your belief that not wearing helmets causes accidents? Or are you more interested in surviving the injuries? Do you work for the insurance industry?
a2pilot
Mon, Jun 17, 2013 : 7:21 p.m.
I couldn't tell I just missed the accident but the roof and windshield of the Prius were crumpled in, didn't look good.
Kyle Feldscher
Mon, Jun 17, 2013 : 6:57 p.m.
Unknown at this point, Dave. Will ask when more investigation has been done.