Articles Posted in Fatal Motorcycle Accidents

An Anne Arundel County woman is facing charges for the death of a motorcycle driver, which authorities believed was a direct result of the woman’s texting while driving. According to sources, this is the first official charging of manslaughter while texting in Anne Arundel County.

Last March, a 30 year old man was riding north on his motorcycle on Route 3 in Gambrills, when the 19 year old driver maneuvered her car into the motorcyclist’s path in an attempt to cross Route 3 to get to the Royal Farms, resulting in the death of the motorcyclist.

The prosecution in the case claims that, in addition to cell phone records (which are presumably time stamped), they have an eyewitness who saw the woman driving with one hand, and looking down while texting with the other. The driver faces several charges in relation to the incident, including negligent manslaughter. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.

Continue reading ›

Over the weekend, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office reported that they responded to a collision in Huntingtown involving a motorcycle.

Upon arrival, authorities found both of the vehicles within different parts of the same lane on Point Plum Lane. The appearance of the aftermath was apparently consistent with evidence of a head-on collision. The motorcycle driver and passenger were both reportedly ejected upon impact, and were found west of the motorcycle.

The initial investigation revealed the SUV was traveling eastbound on Point Plum Lane, as the motorcycle approached the intersection of Point Plum Road and Twin Oak Lane. In an attempt to enter a private drive, the SUV turned left in front of the motorcycle, causing a crash. The vehicles collided in the center of the westbound lane of Plum Point Road.

Continue reading ›

According to officials, last month, a Columbia man was charged with felony driving under the influence after his vehicle killed two motorcyclists.

A South Carolina Highway Patrol Senior Trooper reported that the man was traveling north on Highway 21 one Monday evening, when his 2008 Saturn crossed the center line. The Saturn then reportedly collided with two BMW motorcycles head-on. The two motorcyclists both died instantly due to blunt force trauma, according to the local county coroner. The 21 year old was transported to a local hospital for unreported injuries. His passenger was uninjured.

The driver of the Saturn was subsequently charged with two counts of felony DUI, and one count of second-offense driving under suspension.

Continue reading ›

Millsboro Police reported that a Maryland woman died earlier this month in a motorcycle crash on Route 113.

The Abingdon woman was riding a Yamaha sports bike, when she failed to stop at a traffic light, continuing into the intersection of Route 113 and Route 24. It was there that she then ran into a vehicle that was turning northbound onto Route 113. The motorcyclist was transported to a local hospital, but later died from her injuries.

Police did not release information regarding the other vehicle in the accident. They did reveal, however, that they believe speed was a contributing factor to the collision.

Continue reading ›

Montgomery County Police recently released updated information regarding an accident involving a motorcycle and an SUV in Rockville near Montrose Road and Tower Oaks Boulevard.

According to a statement from police, a 2006 Toyota Highlander was traveling east on Montrose Road and began to turn left onto northbound Tower Oaks when it struck a Ducati 848, which was traveling west on Montrose. The driver and passenger of the motorcycle were ejected from the vehicle. Police stated the bike then erupted into flames.

The driver of the motorcycle died at the hospital as a result of the injuries he suffered following the collision. The passenger reportedly suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries, police said. Police also said the driver of the Highlander suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Continue reading ›

Earlier this month, Maryland State Police troopers responded to a reportedly serious motor vehicle collision involving a motorcycle on US Route 301, just north of MD Route 227.

The preliminary investigation revealed that a tractor-trailer was traveling northbound on US Route 301 at MD Route 227, and had stopped at the signal for a red light. Once the light turned green, the truck began to travel forward and through the intersection. At that time, a Yamaha Motorcycle carrying a male driver and passenger was also traveling northbound, behind the tractor-trailer. The motorcyclist somehow failed to control his speed in order to avoid the collision, and crashed into the trailer. Though the information regarding the nature of the collision is unclear, it appears as thought the motorcycle was not stopped at the red light, but rather had been traveling at a fast speed and failed to anticipate having to slow down.

When police arrived on the scene, they located two unresponsive men wearing motorcycle safety equipment and lying in the roadway. Further inquiry revealed that both men had been ejected from the vehicle, and they both ultimately died at the scene due to their injuries. The driver of the tractor trailer was unharmed.

Continue reading ›

Two unrelated motorcycle accidents in Carroll County left one rider dead and another seriously injured in on two different roadways.

The first accident, which occurred in Taneytown in the morning, involved a rider who reportedly failed to negotiate a turn properly, which caused him to careen off of the road where he ultimately crashed into a fence post and wire. Emergency personnel pronounced the man dead at the scene. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.

An unrelated motorcycle crash occurred in the evening in Westminster, resulting in serious injuries to the rider. According to police, the motorcyclist was riding westbound on Route 97 when he crossed the double yellow line, and thus entering the southbound lane where he collided head on with an SUV. The four occupants of the SUV, two adults and two children, were reportedly unharmed in the crash. The motorcycle rider reportedly suffered serious but not life threatening injuries and was was taken by helicopter to Shock Trauma for treatment. Police believe that speeding and alcohol consumption may have been factors contributing to the crash. The investigation remains ongoing and charges are reportedly pending.

Continue reading ›

A motorcyclist was reportedly driving north of Thurmont over the weekend, when he apparently lost control of his motorcycle, throwing both him and his female passenger from the bike.

At nearly 12:30 in the afternoon, the motorcycle was heading south on Md. 550, north of Kelbaugh Road in Sabillasville, Md., when the driver suddenly lost control on a curve in the road, throwing both riders off of the bike.

Maryland State Police reported that the man was pronounced dead on the scene. According to a news release from state police, the woman was transported to a local medical center for treatment of her injuries. The investigation remains ongoing.

Continue reading ›

A Baltimore woman was killed earlier this month in Queen Anne’s County when a car struck the motorcycle she was riding.

State police reported that the collision occurred just before 9 p.m. on Route 18 in Kent Narrows, west of the intersection of Kent Narrows Way South. A Nissan Versa reportedly crossed the yellow center line in the road and struck the motorcycle head-on. Both the car and motorcycle caught fire after the collision.

Maryland State Police said that the driver of the Nissan was transported to a hospital in Queen Anne’s County for treatment. The driver and passenger of the motorcycle were both flown to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center for treatment. The passenger was listed as being in critical condition, while the driver of the motorcycle died a few hours later. The accident remains under investigation by state police.

Continue reading ›

According to police, a man was killed in Lanham last month, when his motorcycle collided with a truck in Howard County.

The accident occurred when the motorcyclist was traveling on his motorcycle northbound on U.S. 1 in Elkridge when he collided with a truck that was turning left from southbound U.S. 1 onto Kit Kat Road.

The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the truck was not injured. Police say the truck is owned by Georgetown Paper Stock.

Police stated that a preliminary investigation indicated that the speed of the motorcycle may have been a contributing factor to the crash.

This accident is one of many in Maryland in recent weeks that involves a driver attempting to make a left hand turn. Accidents occur often at intersections and other traffic crossings merely because there is a higher potential for two or more vehicles to make contact, and also because of issues with judging distance and right of way.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, per mile traveled on the road, motorcyclists are about 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a traffic crash.

Continue reading ›