The Blog Spot: News Happening Around the Country     Chandler Motorcycle Accident Leaves Two Critically Injured             Monday, February 1st, at least two people suffered life-threatening injuries in a motorcycle accident near the Loop 202 exit ramp on Dobson Road. The Phoenix Fire Department officials say the accident happened around 5 p.m. Video from the air showed a badly damaged motorcycle and a white pick up truck about 50 years away. It has not been determined if that truck was involved in the accident. Both victims have been taken by ambulance to local hospitals.   Cape Coral Police Officer Files Lawsuit             Damien Garcia, has filed a lawsuit against the driver who struck his motorcycle at the intersection of Cultural Park Boulevard and SE Van Loon Terrace. The accident nearly took his life in June. Garcia was seriously injured and because of these injuries has just made his first public appearance the last weekend of January. The lawsuit against Josephine Pierce seeks in excess of $15,000.   Motorcyclist Killed in San Jose A San Jose motorcyclist was killed on Saturday in a traffic accident. He has now been identified as Patrick Rogers. The crash happened at 10:20 p.m. when Rogers was driving his 1999 Harley-Davidson west on Cherry Avenue. He was pronounced dead at the scene after his motorcycle rear-ended a 2005 black Cadillac Escalade that was turning into an apartment complex. According to the police, they do not believe that Christopher Caprino, the driver of the Cadillac, caused the fatal accident. Caprino, however, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol involving a major accident. The police would make no comment on his blood alcohol level. Caprino is no longer in custody and has not been charged with any offense, but he was ordered to appear in court in March. The crash is still under investigation. Rogers leaves behind two children, Bernadette, 14, and a severely disabled 11-year old son, Joseph. Funeral arrangements are pending.     Police Officer Loses Life After Las Vegas Motorcycle Crash             Joseph Pusateri, 43, was competing in an event at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway while off duty on Sunday, January 31st. Pusateri, who had been an officer for about five years, died shortly after 2 p.m. from a cervical spine injury. Pusateri was once a Salinas motorcycle officer and often competed in motorcycle road racing in his free time. Pusateri is survived by his wife and children and a memorial fund has been established at Wells Fargo Bank under the “Joseph Pusateri Memorial Fund.” Salinas police spokesman officer Lalo Villegas stated that Joseph “died doing what he loved".     Motorcycle Crash Kills Two In Reading, Pennsylvania             On November 19, 2009, a young woman was killed in a motorcycle accident in Reading, PA. At the intersection of Lowell and High Streets, a green and silver pickup truck collided with the motorcycle. Penny Richards, 25, and the operator of the motorcycle were both declared dead at the scene of the accident. Richards and the driver had been leaving a funeral of a friend who had passed away from a car accident previous to the wreck. The Reading Police refuse to confirm that any deaths were related to the wreck and the driver’s identity has not been disclosed.   Motorcyclist Killed After Being Ejected From Motorcycle During Crash             On November 23, 2009, Kevin J. Babey, 38, was driving his motorcycle northbound on Route 513. Babey struck a 2007 BMW from behind and was ejected from his motorcycle. He came to rest in the southbound lane of Route 513 where he was hit by a 1999 Ford Taurus that was driven by George Exley, 45. The accident still remains under investigation.     Waco Motorcyclist Dies in Accident             Early November, 22, 2009 Billy Edward Wright Jr., 25, was driving his 2007 Honda Motorcycle on Eichelberger Crossing. He failed to negotiate a curve and his motorcycle then left the road and landed in a ditch. Wright was thrown from the motorcycle and pronounced dead at the scene. DPS Troopers said that he was not wearing his helmet at the time of the accident.               Three Vehicle Collision Kills Motorcyclist             On October 27, 2009 a fatal collision occurred when a motorcyclist was traveling west on West Front Street and a SUV pulled out in front him. The biker was ejected 50 feet and was then struck by a second SUV and pinned beneath it. Emergency responders and the Plainfield Firefighters rescued the biker from under the SUV and administered CPR. He was transferred to the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, but tragically died from his injuries shortly after arriving.         Motorcycle Involved In Accident With Truck             A 44 year old man was involved in a motorcycle accident on Monday, October 26th and is still in serious condition with extensive injuries at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, a Boise hospital. According to the police, Julio Rodriguez was attempting to pass a truck. He then lost control of his motorcycle and slid into the truck’s back tire.   Motorcyclist Lost Control Causing Accident             Joseph Cruickshank was riding near Fair Oaks on I-10 early Wednesday when he lost control of his bike. It seems that he had regained control for a short distance but unfortunately lost control a second time. He then slid underneath the median cables. Cruickshank died at the scene of the crash. The investigators say that he was wearing a helmet.        Tragedy Strikes Grieving Father             Eric Fraser, aged 38, was involved in a custody battle of his son in March 2008 when his son’s mother was withholding chemotherapy treatments for their sick son. He won the battle for custody, but sadly his son passed away.             On October 25, tragedy struck this poor man again. He was thrown from his motorcycle in Malden around 9:30 p.m. An unidentified man on a separate bike was also thrown and killed. They came upon a treacherous left hand bend in the road when the accident occurred. There is no evidence of a collision and if speeding was a factor, it is still unknown.             Fraser is in critical condition at MassGeneralHospital with head and neck injuries. Hopefully he has a fast recovery.   Man Killed In Rhode Island Crash             Steven Johansen, 47, was on his way to work October 25, when he was fatally injured in a motorcycle accident. His motorcycle crashed into a car in Cranston on Sunday. Johansen died from his injuries on Monday. The driver of the car was not injured in the accident.             According to the police, Johansen was a correctional officer who was working the second shift that day at the high security center at the Adult Correctional Institution. An e-mail to the staff was sent out by the director of the department which stated that Johansen was a dedicated officer who was greatly respected by his peers and that he will be missed by all who knew him.       Fatal Crash On Highway 101             At 10:15 p.m., Officers received reports of a woman motorcyclist lying unconscious on the Spring Street off ramp on October 26th. The investigators think that she had tried to make an unsafe turn. In their opinion, they believe that she tried to apply the brake and subsequently ran into the curb. When she was thrown from the motorcycle, her “lid” helmet fell off. Sadly, this unidentified Paso Robles woman died.     Brad Pitt Spills His Motorcycle               On October 26, 2009 while trying to evade the paparazzi, Brad Pitt dumped his motorcycle. He was attempting to ride in between a row of parked cars and cars stopped on the road. While news reports say this isn’t illegal in California, it can be very dangerous. Pitt’s bike skidded out from under him, but fortunately he was not injured. He did however have to wait for the truck to come tow his bike.         Police Officer Killed After Crash In Baltimore               On October 25, 2009, 42 year old Jeffrey Neal, a member of the Baltimore police department, died from fatal injuries that resulted from a motorcycle crash. Neal was traveling to work around 1 p.m. on his 2009 Harley Davidson when a 2002 Ford Focus pulled out and almost collided with his bike. Neal attempted to avoid the collision and landed the bike on its side, but he was launched from his bike into the driver’s side of the car. The 26 year old driver of the Focus, Pei Kao, was uninjured in the crash.             Jeffrey Neal was the second police officer to be involved in a motorcycle accident in the last two months. On September 24, Jason Simons was also fatally injured in a motorcycle crash.       Fatal Hit-and-Run Crash               At Michigan Avenue and Telegraph Road, there was a fatal hit-and-run crash involving a black SUV or minivan and a 1993 Harley Davidson motorcycle. The SUV or minivan struck and killed 56-year-old Gerald Bojanowski of Dearborn Heights. The authorities are still searching for the vehicle that was involved in this fatal hit-and-run crash.             Bojanowski was heading to the “Hog Heaven” fundraiser which is annually hosted by the American Legion Fort Dearborn Post. The accident occurred when Bojanowski was pulling into the driveway of the American Legion Fort Dearborn Post.              He sustained critical injuries when the motorist struck him from behind. He was pronounced dead at Oakwood Hospital.     Insurance Requirements   The registration is easy; pay your money, and you get a license plate to bolt onto the back of the bike. Insurance is harder, but most states require liability insurance. (Check your state’s laws.) Shop around for it. Some companies give a discount if you’ve taken an MSF RiderCourse. You can also get other coverage on you and your bike: comprehensive, collision, medical payments, uninsured driver (the other guy), and more. Ask your insurance agent what each type of coverage can do for you, and how much it will cost. The better your driving record, the less costly the insurance. It pays to be safe. Michigan hit-and-run accident: Depending on the insurance you have on your motorcycle, you may be able to file a claim for your injures if you are in a Michigan motorcycle accident.  This applies even if you do not know who hit you.                 Michigan motorcyclists are protected under Michigan motorcycle law that makes negligent drivers responsible and liable to Michigan motorcyclists. A bike who is involved in a Michigan motorcycle accident may obtain compensation for his or her injuries that were caused by the other driver’s negligence. Damages may include payment for pain and suffering, scarring, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, economic loss, no fault benefits, and more.         54-Year-Old Man Injured in Blackman Township Motorcycle Accident               At about 11:10 p.m., public safety officers responded to an accident at Parnall Road and Cooper Street in Blackman Township. Steven Strachn, the motorcyclist, was pinned between the curb and the undercarriage of a car. Public safety officers had to use air bags to lift the vehicle and remove Strachn from underneath the car.             Strachn is in fair condition, as of September 8, after he was taken to Allegiance Health and then flown to Ann Arbor to receive treatment for his serious injuries at the University of Michigan Medical Center. The 16-year-old driver of the car was not hurt.             This accident occurred after the Ford four-door car pulled in front of Strachn’s motorcycle, a 2005 Harley Davidson Road King, at Parnall Road and Cooper Street. The initial investigations led officers to believe that the young teen was driving west on Parnell Road and pulled in front of Strachn, cutting him off. This accident is still be investigated by an accident reconstructionist team.     Motorcycles & Intersections   It probably surprises no one to know that the majority of accidents involving collisions between a motorcycle and a car happen at inter­sections - the most frequent situation being that of a vehicle turning left in front of a motorcycle. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation says that:          -Any intersection is potentially hazardous, whether it has stoplights, or stop signs, or is unmarked.  -Always check for traffic coming from the side, left and/or right.  -Check for traffic behind you, to make sure no one is about to run up your tailpipe.            Michigan Woman Dies in Highway Motorcycle Accident               Jodi Lynn Fether, a 39-year-old woman, who was part of the Ghostriders Motorcycle Club, from Michigan died Friday, September 4, 2009 in a motorcycle accident that occurred on Interstate 69 in a construction zone near the 71-mile marker. The motorcyclist died from blunt force trauma at the scene of the accident. Fether was on her way to Missouri for an event with her boyfriend, Matthew Guilford, and a group of other motorcyclists.             The bike veered into the shoulder when it was traveling in the passing lane. The pavement dropped down about an inch at the point. When Guilford maneuvered to get back onto the even pavement, he lost control of the bike. Fether was ejected from the bike, while Guilford stayed with the bike when it was laid down, slid, and hit a concrete wall. He suffered minor injuries related to the slide and was treated and released from the hospital.               Motorcycle Safety Tip for Riding Across Poor Road Surfaces               Here are a few simple rules from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation you should follow when you anticipate coping with sand, mud, water or any loose surface or obstruction in the road: -Downshift and slow before you reach the problem area. -If there is traffic in the area, make sure that the drivers are aware you are slowing. -Try to cross the bad surface in a straight line, or at least do not change direction or speed abruptly. -Stay read to maintain the balance of the motorcycle. -If you are moving along and have to go over an obstruction that is lying across the road, like a 2x4 piece of wood, rise upon the foot pegs and shift your weight toward the back of the saddle as your front wheel comes up to the obstacle. This will make it easier for the front wheel to bounce up and over. Then move your weight forward to help your rear wheel go over. -Do not accelerate until you bike is completely over the obstacle.

Chicago Reporter, Tom Negovan, Seriously Injured In Motorcycle Accident               Tom Negovan was injured in a motorcycle accident when the motorcycle he was riding collided head-on with a motor vehicle on Harlem Avenue on September 5, 2009. Normally, Negovan wears a helmet when he is riding his bike, but when he was involved in this accident, he reportedly was not wearing his helmet.             Negovan underwent two hours of spinal surgery to repair broken vertebrae, and he also suffered from multiple lacerations. Negovan is expected to recover from his serious injuries and could possibly be back to his job at WGN within several weeks.     Motorcycle Safety Tip for Proper Helmet Use from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation   Around the block or around the world, it makes sense to leave home with a helmet on your head. IT’S ONE OF THE BEST ITEMS OF PROTECTION YOU CAN USE. Helmets come in all sizes, from extra small (XS) to extra large (XL). There are also helmets for children. When you buy a helmet, make sure it fits properly. Try it on; it should be comfortable to wear, neither too tight nor too loose. Remember, it is going to spend a lot of time on your head. A full-face helmet gives the most protection since it covers all of the head and face. Always fasten the helmet strap. If the helmet is not secured, it is doing about as much good as if it were on the shelf at home. Did you know that all adult-sized motorcycle helmets now sold in the United States must have a sticker indicating DOT (Department of Transportation) compliance, which means that the helmet meets certain basic impact standards? Don’t buy a helmet without one; it may not meet standards. Helmets vary greatly in price and style. Buy one that suits you. Wear it. Fasten it every time you throw a leg over the motorcycle. A good helmet makes motorcycling a lot more pleasurable because it cuts down on the wind noise and greatly reduces rider fatigue. The days of heavy or cumbersome helmets are gone; they’re now made of light new materials with terrific designs and colors to choose from. If you do drop your helmet onto a hard surface, or it receives a heavy blow, it is probably time to buy a new one. A motorcycle helmet is designed to absorb the impact of a blow, and a helmet should only do that once. If in doubt, get a new one.