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The report states there is no information on whether or not anybody was given a citation in the incident. There is also no information on any further investigation occurring pertaining to this incident.

There are many reasons for an automobile accident to occur, whether they involve a motorcycle or not. Poor weather conditions are among the most common causes of automobile accidents in the United States. An automobile does not necessarily have to travel at a high rate of speed to cause an accident and cause any injuries to you or to your loved ones. Poor weather conditions make car-motorcycle accidents much likely, as motorcycles are less visible than cars and poor weather conditions such as rain or fog only decrease their visibility. A car can be traveling anywhere from 5 to 10 mph and still cause an accident that results in some type of injury. In any case, you are entitled to compensation for any damages that occur.
 

In the incident involving Roy Hearn, he was reportedly riding his motorcycle followed by his son and a third rider when he apparently lost control of the motorcycle on an S-turn roadway. Hearn collided head-on with a pickup truck that was traveling in the opposite direction. Hearn’s son lost control of his own motorcycle after the exhaust pipe got caught on the road and Michael Hearn landed in an embankment. Michael Hearn was reportedly injured in the accident but was treated at a medical facility and released. There are many potential causes for the accident including the fact that Hearn had previously ridden a motorcycle for years but prior to the accident, Hearn had not ridden in some time. Other possible factors are motorcycle wear, unfamiliarity with the roadways and possible road defects.

Motorcycle accidents can sometimes be attributed to inexperience on the part of a rider. Not only can inexperience be constituted when a rider did not previously ride a motorcycle, but also when a long span of time has past since the last time they had ridden a motorcycle. Inexperience with certain routes can also cause trouble for a motorcycle rider and inevitably lead to a serious accident, primarily because the rider may not see if a turn is coming or a sudden stop and they may miss it. This can easily lead to extremely dangerous situations for motorcycle riders.
 

The two vehicles collided and the motorcycle rider was thrown from the vehicle. According to the report, he was not wearing a helmet. Following the accident, the motorcycle driver was taken to a medical facility where he later died as a result of the injuries he sustained. The driver of the truck was arrested on four different charges including negligent homicide, and operating a vehicle under the influence of an intoxicant. The passenger of the truck was also arrested on similar charges.

 According to NHTSA statistics, 23% of impaired motorcyclists killed in the state of Arizona had a blood alcohol level (BAC) of .08% or higher. All states in the U.S. have implemented two types of offenses in relation to driving under the influence of alcohol, one of which is newly implemented. The first, and longest standing offense is known as either DUI (Driving Under the Influence), DWI (Driving While Intoxicated), and OWI (Operating a vehicle While Intoxicated). The second and newest offense is known as the “illegal per se” law. Under this law, if a person operates a vehicle with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or higher, they will be considered over the legal limit and will face criminal penalties. This limit of 0.08 has been implemented in all 50 states.

 Alcohol can drastically impair a driver’s reaction time and judgment while driving. This incident demonstrates what can happen when someone operates a motor vehicle while under the influence of any substance.

For more information on truck-motorcycle accidents, visit Solomon & Relihan's Truck-Motorcycle Accidents Information page.

 Prior to the accident, a police officer was pursuing Byank to stop him for speeding. Byank attempted to get away from the officer when the accident occurred. The passenger of the motorcycle, 19-year-old Lauren Parris was pronounced dead at the medical facility that she was transported to following the accident. Byank was taken to a medical facility for injuries and was later released. New York police charged Byank with a felony charge of unlawfully fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle and multiple traffic violations. Byank appeared in front of a judge on Tuesday afternoon and Byank’s bail was set at $25,000 or $50,000 bond. The felony charge could potentially be upgraded to vehicular manslaughter, according to the report.

The incident described in this report is one of many unfortunate incidents that occur very often. In most cases regarding an automobile accident involving a motorcycle, the motorcycle rider is found to be driving at excessive speeds, putting themselves and their passengers in extreme danger. In cases that result in the death of the passenger of a motorcycle, the parties responsible for the accident should be held on criminal charges for wrongful death.

 For more information on motorcycle accidents, visit Solomon & Relihan's Motorcycle Accidents website.

Fortunately, the officer did not suffer any serious injuries and only suffered minor abrasions resulting from the accident. The report states there is no information on whether citations were given or not. 

Injuries from automobile accidents involving motorcyclists (whether they are police officers or not) have slowly been rising over the last 10 years or so. National Highway Traffic Association (NHTA) statistics show that in 2008, 5,290 motorcyclists were killed – an increase from 5,174 in 2007. Although in this incident, the officer in the motorcycle only suffered minor injuries, the dangers of riding motorcycles should not be taken lightly. There are many ways injuries could occur to motorcycle riders. In most cases, motorcycle riders do not wear a helmet, which exponentially increases the chances of serious injury or even death. Actions such as cutting off a motorcycle while turning can put a rider in extreme danger of falling off the motorcycle or even being propelled over the bars of their motorcycle. Negligence from motorcycle riders is also a common occurrence and can just as easily put the rider in danger of being injured very seriously. Many incidents of motorcycle accidents where the rider was thrown from the bike have surfaced in recent weeks, which only serve to highlight the dangers of riding a motorcycle. 

 For more information on motorcycle accidents and what to do if you are involved in one, visit the Solomon & Relihan Motorcycle Accident website.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, roughly 71 fatalities occurred for motorcycle riders riding without a helmet in 2007 and 64 riding without a helmet in 2008 and total fatalities ranged in age between 20 to 29 years of age. Motorcycle safety on the roadways is extremely important because of the increased chance for severe injury. It is clear that motorcycles do not offer sufficient protection for riders. In most cases, motorcycle riders do not wear a helmet, which exponentially increases the chances of serious injury or even death. Wearing a helmet can easily protect the rider from serious damage to the head and neck, which can drastically improve their chances of walking away from the accident.

Although it is impossible to account for every situation involving a motorcycle and a car, you should always take extreme caution to avoid any type of accident due to the increased risk for injury. Actions such as cutting off a motorcycle while turning can put a rider in extreme danger of falling off the motorcycle or even being propelled over the bars of their motorcycle.

For more information on motorcycle accidents and what to do if you have been involved in one, please visit the Solomon & Relihan Motorcycle Accident website.