Biketoberfest Fatalities........
Thread Starter
|
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,511
Likes: 12
From: Western, MA.
Biketoberfest Fatalities........
Some sad news..............
[size=4]October 27, 2006
Biketoberfest claims 6 bikers
2006 deadliest year for biker-related events
By SCOTT WYLAND
Staff Writer
Six motorcyclists have died in local crashes related to Biketoberfest, making 2006 the deadliest year on record for local biker events.
Biketoberfest 2006: reported deaths
Volusia-Flagler
OCT. 19:
NAME AND AGE: Paul Morley, 70
HOMETOWN: Sanford
CRASH SITE: State Road 415 and Fort Smith Boulevard, Deltona
HELMET: Yes, but flew off from impact
OF NOTE: Killed when a car turned left in front of him.
NAME AND AGE: Kenneth George Akerley, 44
HOMETOWN: Anchorage, Alaska
CRASH SITE: International Speedway Boulevard at Wild Olive Avenue
HELMET: Yes
OF NOTE: Was seen slumped over the handlebars before hitting a curb and then the pavement. Autopsy is pending.
NAME AND AGE: Clifford R. Atkinson, 68
HOMETOWN: Bunnell
CRASH SITE: State Road 100, four miles west of Deen Road, Bunnell
HELMET: Yes
OF NOTE: Attempted to pass a tractor-trailer and was hit head-on.
OCT. 20:
NAME AND AGE: Mary Willis, 58
HOMETOWN: Boynton Beach
CRASH SITE: Interstate 4 near State Road 44, Volusia County
HELMET: No
OF NOTE: Willis, a passenger, was taken to Halifax Medical Center after the crash with injuries not thought to be life-threatening. She died Sunday.
OCT 21:
NAME AND AGE: Nora Cardona, 39
HOMETOWN: Coconut Creek
CRASH SITE: West International Speedway Boulevard, Daytona Beach
HELMET: not applicable
OF NOTE: Cardona was crossing ISB, not at a crosswalk, when she was struck by a motorcycle.
NAME AND AGE: Michael Dion Houck, 45
HOMETOWN: Spring Hill
CRASH SITE: Mason Avenue and Williamson Boulevard.
HELMET: Unknown
OF NOTE: Speeding west on Mason Avenue, he lost control and hit a curb . He died Oct. 26 at Halifax Medical Center.
Nonlocal deaths in Florida
OCT. 22:
NAME AND AGE: Al Gannon, 82
HOMETOWN: Tampa
CRASH SITE: U.S. 92 and Harney Road, Tampa
HELMET: Yes
OF NOTE: Swerved to avoid a slowing SUV and rear-ended a pickup in the other lane. Was returning from Daytona Beach.
SOURCES: Florida Highway Patrol,
Daytona Beach Police Department
The six deaths for Biketoberfest -- an event that began in the early 1990s -- tie the previous record of six deaths. And this year's Bike Week in March yielded a death toll of 16 in Volusia and Flagler counties, the highest in its decades-long history.
Authorities blame the growing fatalities on the biker events getting bigger and more spread out geographically, increasing the chances of cars and bikes colliding.
"We're definitely seeing more motorcycles on the road," said Trooper Kim Miller, Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman. "Each year, 10,000 more motorcyclists are registering in Florida."
In collisions, a person driving a car is at fault as often as a motorcyclist, Miller said. Drivers turning into traffic tend to focus on the largest object in their vision -- a truck or car -- and overlook an oncoming motorcycle.
Bikers also are traveling more than they did when Main Street offered the nucleus of entertainment, Miller said. "The more roads you ride, the more likely you are to be involved in some type of crash."
The latest fatality was Michael Dion Houck, 45, of Spring Hill, who died at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach early Thursday from injuries he suffered Saturday. Houck was riding down Mason Avenue when he lost control of his bike, hit a curb and was ejected, police said.
Police also released details on the death of 82-year-old Al Gannon, a Tampa preacher who used his motorcycle as a rolling pulpit. Gannon attended Biketoberfest in Daytona Beach, then returned to Tampa on Sunday and was traveling in the right lane of U.S. 92 when a sport utility vehicle in front of him slowed, Miller said.
He swerved to avoid hitting the SUV and rear-end
[size=4]October 27, 2006
Biketoberfest claims 6 bikers
2006 deadliest year for biker-related events
By SCOTT WYLAND
Staff Writer
Six motorcyclists have died in local crashes related to Biketoberfest, making 2006 the deadliest year on record for local biker events.
Biketoberfest 2006: reported deaths
Volusia-Flagler
OCT. 19:
NAME AND AGE: Paul Morley, 70
HOMETOWN: Sanford
CRASH SITE: State Road 415 and Fort Smith Boulevard, Deltona
HELMET: Yes, but flew off from impact
OF NOTE: Killed when a car turned left in front of him.
NAME AND AGE: Kenneth George Akerley, 44
HOMETOWN: Anchorage, Alaska
CRASH SITE: International Speedway Boulevard at Wild Olive Avenue
HELMET: Yes
OF NOTE: Was seen slumped over the handlebars before hitting a curb and then the pavement. Autopsy is pending.
NAME AND AGE: Clifford R. Atkinson, 68
HOMETOWN: Bunnell
CRASH SITE: State Road 100, four miles west of Deen Road, Bunnell
HELMET: Yes
OF NOTE: Attempted to pass a tractor-trailer and was hit head-on.
OCT. 20:
NAME AND AGE: Mary Willis, 58
HOMETOWN: Boynton Beach
CRASH SITE: Interstate 4 near State Road 44, Volusia County
HELMET: No
OF NOTE: Willis, a passenger, was taken to Halifax Medical Center after the crash with injuries not thought to be life-threatening. She died Sunday.
OCT 21:
NAME AND AGE: Nora Cardona, 39
HOMETOWN: Coconut Creek
CRASH SITE: West International Speedway Boulevard, Daytona Beach
HELMET: not applicable
OF NOTE: Cardona was crossing ISB, not at a crosswalk, when she was struck by a motorcycle.
NAME AND AGE: Michael Dion Houck, 45
HOMETOWN: Spring Hill
CRASH SITE: Mason Avenue and Williamson Boulevard.
HELMET: Unknown
OF NOTE: Speeding west on Mason Avenue, he lost control and hit a curb . He died Oct. 26 at Halifax Medical Center.
Nonlocal deaths in Florida
OCT. 22:
NAME AND AGE: Al Gannon, 82
HOMETOWN: Tampa
CRASH SITE: U.S. 92 and Harney Road, Tampa
HELMET: Yes
OF NOTE: Swerved to avoid a slowing SUV and rear-ended a pickup in the other lane. Was returning from Daytona Beach.
SOURCES: Florida Highway Patrol,
Daytona Beach Police Department
The six deaths for Biketoberfest -- an event that began in the early 1990s -- tie the previous record of six deaths. And this year's Bike Week in March yielded a death toll of 16 in Volusia and Flagler counties, the highest in its decades-long history.
Authorities blame the growing fatalities on the biker events getting bigger and more spread out geographically, increasing the chances of cars and bikes colliding.
"We're definitely seeing more motorcycles on the road," said Trooper Kim Miller, Florida Highway Patrol spokeswoman. "Each year, 10,000 more motorcyclists are registering in Florida."
In collisions, a person driving a car is at fault as often as a motorcyclist, Miller said. Drivers turning into traffic tend to focus on the largest object in their vision -- a truck or car -- and overlook an oncoming motorcycle.
Bikers also are traveling more than they did when Main Street offered the nucleus of entertainment, Miller said. "The more roads you ride, the more likely you are to be involved in some type of crash."
The latest fatality was Michael Dion Houck, 45, of Spring Hill, who died at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach early Thursday from injuries he suffered Saturday. Houck was riding down Mason Avenue when he lost control of his bike, hit a curb and was ejected, police said.
Police also released details on the death of 82-year-old Al Gannon, a Tampa preacher who used his motorcycle as a rolling pulpit. Gannon attended Biketoberfest in Daytona Beach, then returned to Tampa on Sunday and was traveling in the right lane of U.S. 92 when a sport utility vehicle in front of him slowed, Miller said.
He swerved to avoid hitting the SUV and rear-end
