Crashes Reported in the Media

[Joel S]

Sorry for the tangent ...

But what the hell is a 16 year old girl doing in a place where she can get a ride from a drunk 52 year old? Mr. Carlson has a history of bad decisions, but it still makes me wonder why he would even risk putting himself near the trouble of a hauling a young girl on the back of his bike. He was begging for trouble, aware or not.

well said

The girl suffered a traumatic brain injury as well as a gash on her thigh. Her parents said Thursday she still can attend only a half day of school.....................

what traumatic brain injury, half a day of school.......

[aschendel]

Here's one:  http://www.kare11.com/news/article/994460/396/High-speed-motorcycle-chase-in-metro-ends-in-crash

I was suprised at how close the cops were at the end.

Andy

[Aprilian]

"Roeske says an ambulance was called to scene, but Roeske believes the victim was not transported to the hospital."

Nope, this one goes straight to jail! 

I watched it a couple times in slomo and have a few thoughts
1) half-assed attempt to run, really wasn't going that much faster than the surrounding traffic
2) exiting the ramp he put himself in far left lane - I interpret his intention was to turn left
3) he appears (grainy) to start a gradual left (perhaps body steering - based on his wide arc turns between traffic) and panics
4) I think I see hte front end dip as he puts on the brakes and heads straight
5) ATGATT saved him from showing up to court in a wheelchair
6) I want to see the remaining footage where the officer comes out the squad with weapon drawn and cuffs the dude

[pkpk]

what traumatic brain injury, half a day of school.......

Brains are not an easy organ to heal.  You can function but persistent headaches, double vision, foggy thinking, etc are common during the healing phase.  Having her attend school is training the brain to focus and renew it's logic and reasoning function.  Most likely she is taking meds that allow her to function for a while but eventually she needs to go home and sleep.  I watched a coworker go through this phase for over two years after a harsh brain injury.

[pkpk]

http://www.republican-eagle.com/event/article/id/84135/

Man charged in death of motorcycle passenger
A Beldenville man was charged Oct. 2 in Pierce County Circuit Court with vehicular homicide and reckless driving, causing bodily harm.

By: Jason Schulte, The Republican Eagle

A Beldenville man was charged Oct. 2 in Pierce County Circuit Court with vehicular homicide and reckless driving, causing bodily harm.

George D. Budd, 54, is scheduled to make his first court appearance 10:45 a.m., Oct. 23. Both charges, which stem from a March 17 incident in Martell, are felonies.

According to the criminal complaint:

At about 8:10 p.m. March 17, Pierce County sheriff’s deputies were called to a car versus motorcycle accident on 650th Street, north of County Road J.

When officers arrived, Budd identified himself as the driver of the car. He said he was southbound on 650th Street, approaching his driveway at N7652, when he noticed the headlight from an oncoming vehicle in the distance. He said that as he started to make his turn, the motorcycle came over the hill at a high rate of speed and struck his car.

The report says Budd was asked three times if he had had anything to drink before he finally said yes after his preliminary breath test registered a .13. He was given a series of field sobriety tests, including another breath test, which showed a .128. He was taken to River Falls Area Hospital for a blood draw and then taken to Pierce County Jail and booked on suspicion of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

Deputies again asked Budd for his version of what happened. He said the motorcycle came up over the hill at a high rate of speed and collided with the front passenger side of his truck.

He said he saw the motorcycle’s driver, identified as Glen Nelson, 48, Hammond, hit the windshield of his truck, but didn’t see his passenger, Julie Nelson, 47. Budd was unsure of the motorcycle’s speed but estimated it to be at least 65 mph. He said he was not injured.

In the meantime, deputies found Glen, who was conscious, but severely injured. He kept asking what happened and about his wife. Deputies also found Julie, who was unresponsive. Both Nelsons were transported to Regions Hospital due to the severity of their injuries.

The wife was pronounced dead the next day. The husband was a patient in the hospital until July.

In April, deputies got the results back from the state on Budd’s blood draw, which showed a .11.

The vehicular homicide is a Class G felony, with a maximum penalty of $25,000 and 10 years in prison. The reckless driving is a Class I felony with the maximums being $10,000 and 42 months in prison.

[pkpk]

http://www.republican-eagle.com/event/article/id/84136/

Minnesota, Wisconsin see high number of motorcycle fatalities
Motorcyclists have had a rough year in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

By: Sarah Gorvin, The Republican Eagle

Motorcyclists have had a rough year in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

According to information from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, both states have already exceeded last year’s motorcyclist fatality totals.

As of Sept. 20, 47 motorcyclists have died in Minnesota; there were 42 motorcyclist fatalities for all of 2011.

In Wisconsin, the number of fatalities as of Sept. 30 was 98. That’s 13 more than in all of 2011.

Pierce County Sheriff Nancy Hove said having motorcycle fatalities isn’t uncommon for Pierce County.

“We always do,” she said.

Just last week, 65-year-old Dennis Manning, of Pine Island, died after the motorcycle he was driving collided with an SUV driven by Cassandra Smith, 20, Red Wing, on Highway 63 near Ellsworth. His passenger, Stephanie Foster, 38, Rochester, also was injured.

In March, a 47-year-old Hammond, Wis., woman was killed when the motorcycle she was riding on collided with a pickup truck in Martell Township.

R-E files indicate that at least five other motorcycle crashes that resulted in injuries have occurred this year in Pierce County.

Hove said the scenic Highway 35 draws a lot of out-of-town motorcyclists to the county.

“Everybody likes to ride on the river road,” Hove said. “A lot of people aren’t locals. They don’t know the roads, they don’t know the corners. That makes a big difference.”

Hove added that a lot of motorcycle runs — which can each draw hundreds of motorcyclists in a given weekend — travel through the county.

“That also adds to the high amount,” she said.

Conversely, Goodhue County Sheriff Scott McNurlin said there have been no motorcyclist fatalities in Goodhue County this year. R-E files indicate that there have been at least six crashes in which a motorcycle was involved.

“Unfortunately motorcyclists hit deer,” McNurlin said. “Other factors are sometimes speed.”

Other causes of motorcycle crashes are rider error, alcohol use and failure to yield, the Department of Public Safety reported.

Adding to this year’s high fatality totals, the DPS said, is a longer rider season than other years. Warm temps in early spring meant motorcyclists were out on highways earlier than other years. The first motorcyclist death occurred in March.

In addition, motorcycle ridership is at an all-time high in Minnesota. There are more than 400,000 licensed operators and more than 230,000 registered motorcycles in Minnesota, the DPS said.

“It’s been a violent year on the road for motorcyclists, and it’s up to both riders and drivers to reduce these tragedies,” said Bill Shaffer of the DPS Motorcycle Safety Center in a statement.

Motorists should double check for motorcycles before changing lanes or entering a roadway and give motorcycles room, the DPS said. Motorcyclists should always wear protective gear, drive at safe speeds and stay sober.

[pkpk]

Cloquet man seriously hurt in motorcycle-deer crash
A 53-year-old Cloquet man was seriously injured Saturday afternoon when his motorcycle collided with a deer north of Duluth.

By: News Tribune staff, Duluth News Tribune

A 53-year-old Cloquet man was seriously injured Saturday afternoon when his motorcycle collided with a deer north of Duluth.

The accident happened at about 2:20 p.m. in the 8100 block of Pequaywan Lake Road in North Star Township, the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office reported. That's near Little Alden Lake Road.

The rider was southbound on Pequaywan Lake Road, County Highway 44, when he collided with the deer in the roadway. The man, who was not wearing a helmet, was transported to a hospital with serious injuries. His name and the name of the hospital were not released.

The St. Louis County Rescue Squad, North Star First Responders and Gold Cross Ambulance also responded to the crash scene.

[pkpk]

All available information for
incident number 12300870.

    Incident Number:    12300870    Incident Date/Time:    10/15/2012 10:15:00 PM
    MSP District:    2300    Incident Contact:    MN STATE PATROL DISTRICT 2300 - (507) 537-6277
    Number of Individuals:    1       
    Number of Vehicles:    1    
                   
    Location:    HWY 59 SOUTH OF MARSHALL    Road Type:    TYPE UNKNOWN
    Milepost:    71    Road Condition:    NOT RECORDED
    County:    LYON    Number of Lanes:    NOT RECORDED
    Crash Type:    RAN OFF ROAD    Divided/Undivided:    UNDIVIDED ROADWAY
    Incident Classification:    PERSONAL INJURY    Hazardous Material:    NOT PRESENT
                   
    Assisting Agencies:
       
    LYON COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE
    MARSHALL POLICE DEPARTMENT
                   
     Person 1:    CHRISTENSEN, CURTIS L , 26 , OF MARSHALL MN , DRIVER OF VEH 1 , Phys. Cond. : INJURY - NON LIFE THREATENING
     

    Vehicle 1:
       1982   YAMAHA MODEL UNKNOWN 
     
          
    IncidentDescription:    MC RAN OFF ROAD ON CURVE
            
    Information Complete:    INFORMATION BELIEVED COMPLETE   
    Last Updated:    10/16/2012 12:34:47 AM
 
Individual Records

    Listed below are the individual records that match the criteria you specified.
    *Estimated age used only when true age is unknown.
    Case Number:    12300870    Seatbelt:    N/A
    Incident Date/Time:    10/15/2012 10:15:00 PM    Airbag:    N/A
    Info Released:    NOT RECORDED    Helmet:    NO
                   
    Person ID:    12300870V1P1    Age:    26
    Full Name:    CHRISTENSEN, CURTIS L    Estimated Age:    ACTUAL AGE ABOVE
    Associated Vehicle:    12300870V1    Alcohol in System:    UNKNOWN
    Role in Crash:    DRIVER    Hospital:    MCKENNON , SIOUX FALLS, SD 
    Residence:    MARSHALL , MN , USA    Physical Condition:    INJURY - NON LIFE THREATENING 
    Sex:    MALE       
    Relation to Driver:    SELF    Fatal Date:    N/A - NOT RECORDED
                            

[pkpk]

All available information for
incident number 12201121.

    Incident Number:    12201121    Incident Date/Time:    10/16/2012 10:00:00 PM
    MSP District:    2200    Incident Contact:    MN STATE PATROL DISTRICT 2200 - (507) 344-2750
    Number of Individuals:    3       
    Number of Vehicles:    2    
                   
    Location:    HWY 13 AND CR 28 NEAR MONTGOMERY    Road Type:    CONCRETE
    Milepost:    NONE RECORDED    Road Condition:    DRY
    County:    LE SUEUR    Number of Lanes:    2
    Crash Type:    BROADSIDE    Divided/Undivided:    UNDIVIDED ROADWAY
    Incident Classification:    SERIOUS INJURY    Hazardous Material:    NOT PRESENT
                   
    Assisting Agencies:
       
    LE SUEUR COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE
                   
     Person 1:    OLSEN, RICHARD D , 64 , OF ROSEMOUNT MN , DRIVER OF VEH 2 , Phys. Cond. : INJURY - NON LIFE THREATENING
     Person 2:    OLIVO, TAYLOR N , 19 , OF MONTGOMERY MN , DRIVER OF VEH 1 , Phys. Cond. : NOT DOCUMENTED
     Person 3:    SCHOLZ, ANN L , 53 , OF ROSEMOUNT MN , PASSENGER OF VEH 2 , Phys. Cond. : CRITICAL CONDITION
     

    Vehicle 1:
       2003   FORD TAURUS 

    Vehicle 2:
       2010   HARLEY DAVIDSON MC, 2W 
     
          
    IncidentDescription:    VEHICLE 1 WAS TRAVELLING SB ON HWY 13. VEHICLE 2 HEADING NB ON HWY 13. VEHICLE 1 TURNED EB IN FRONT OF VEHICLE 2 AND THEY COLLIDED.
            
    Information Complete:    INFORMATION BELIEVED COMPLETE   
    Last Updated:    10/17/2012 6:40:33 AM
         

[pkpk]

http://www.startribune.com/local/175393511.html

Nearly 5 years in prison for Sherburne Co. speedster who killed 2 on motorcycle

    Article by: PAUL WALSH , Star Tribune
    Updated: October 23, 2012 - 8:12 AM

A 20-year-old Monticello man has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison for racing along a Sherburne County road, losing control of his car at 95 miles per hour and killing two people on a motorcycle heading the other way.

Cody J. Moen was sentenced Monday in District Court to four years and 10 months in prison in the deaths of motorcyclist Brien Wickham, 31, of Big Lake, and passenger Jacquelyn Lee, 26, of Ramsey, in April on County Road 17 in Big Lake Township.

Moen pleaded guilty in August to two counts of criminal vehicular homicide or operation.

In his plea, Moen admitted that before the crash he had just been passed in the 55 mph zone by a sporty black Cadillac and responded by closing in on the other vehicle and zipping onto the gravel.

It was then that Moen's Dodge Intrepid spun off the gravel, crossed the northbound lanes, a median and then cut into the path of the southbound motorcycle.

At the time of the wreck, Moen's driving record in Minnesota included tickets in the previous two years for careless driving, speeding and reckless driving with a willful or wanton disregard for safety. He was on probation from the reckless driving conviction at the time of the April crash.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482

[Jared]

Surprised he only get 5 years given the careless and reckless that he already had.

[Elk]

Unfortunately, this is the highest number of months he could be sentenced under the sentencing guidelines. 

I believe the severity level for the crime should be much higher as he intentionally acted in a manner nearly certain to seriously harm another.

One can only hope his fellow incarcerated will be able to address his rage issues. 

[pkpk]

All available information for
incident number 12104348.

    Incident Number:    12104348    Incident Date/Time:    10/31/2012 5:27:00 PM
    MSP District:    2100    Incident Contact:    MN STATE PATROL DISTRICT 2100 - (507) 285-7406
    Number of Individuals:    3       
    Number of Vehicles:    2    
                   
    Location:    61 HWY / SHIELDS AVE    Road Type:    BLACK TOP
    Milepost:    61    Road Condition:    DRY
    County:    WABASHA    Number of Lanes:    4
    Crash Type:    BROADSIDE    Divided/Undivided:    DIVIDED ROADWAY
    Incident Classification:    PERSONAL INJURY    Hazardous Material:    NOT PRESENT
                   
    Assisting Agencies:
       
    WABASHA COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE
    WABASHA POLICE DEPARTMENT
                   
     Person 1:    SANDERS, PATRICK T , 39 , OF ROCHESTER MN , DRIVER OF VEH 1 , Phys. Cond. : INJURY - NON LIFE THREATENING
     Person 2:    YAHNKE, FRANCILLE R , 69 , OF WINONA MN , DRIVER OF VEH 2 , Phys. Cond. : INJURY - NON LIFE THREATENING
     Person 3:    YAHNKE, MICHAEL J , 69 , OF WINONA MN , PASSENGER OF VEH 2 , Phys. Cond. : INJURY - NON LIFE THREATENING
     

    Vehicle 1:
       2006   SUZI ROAD-STRT 

    Vehicle 2:
       2010   GMC ACADIA 
     
          
    IncidentDescription:    V1 TRAVELING WB ON SHIELDS AVE. V2 TRAVELING SB ON HWY 61 COLLIDED WITH V1. ALSO ASSISTING AT SCENE WABASHA AMBULANCE SERVICE AND WABASHA FIRE DEPARTMENT.
            
    Information Complete:    INFORMATION BELIEVED COMPLETE   
    Last Updated:    10/31/2012 8:20:47 PM
         
         

Individual Records

    Listed below are the individual records that match the criteria you specified.
    *Estimated age used only when true age is unknown.
    Case Number:    12104348    Seatbelt:    N/A
    Incident Date/Time:    10/31/2012 5:27:00 PM    Airbag:    N/A
    Info Released:    NOT RECORDED    Helmet:    N/A
                   
    Person ID:    12104348V1P1    Age:    39
    Full Name:    SANDERS, PATRICK T    Estimated Age:    ACTUAL AGE ABOVE
    Associated Vehicle:    12104348V1    Alcohol in System:    NO ALCOHOL DETECTED
    Role in Crash:    DRIVER    Hospital:    ST. ELIZABETHS , WABASHA 
    Residence:    ROCHESTER , MN , USA    Physical Condition:    INJURY - NON LIFE THREATENING 
    Sex:    MALE       
    Relation to Driver:    SELF    Fatal Date:    N/A - NOT RECORDED
                   
        

[pkpk]

http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/185571181.html

Jump in motorcycle deaths pushes up fatality count in state

Posted by: Tim Harlow

Despite an uptick in the number of fatalities on state roads last year, 2012 will go down as the third safest in nearly 70 years.

Minnesota recorded 378 deaths last year, up 10 from the previous year, according to preliminary data released Thursday by the Department of Public Safety.

But officials said that the final tally for 2012 could rise to around 390 by the time additional crash reports are submitted and data is fully analyzed.

That would still make 2012 the third lowest since 1944, but it ends a five-year streak that had seen steady year-to-year declines.

Deaths fell from 510 in 2007 to 455 in 2008. In 2009 there were 421 and in 2010 there were 411. The 368 reported last year was the first time since 1944 that fewer than 400 deaths occurred on state roads. There were 356 that year.

"We can’t forget the victims lost in these crashes," said Donna Berger, director of the Office of Traffic Safety. "They are the reasons and reminders we all need to commit to safe driving behaviors in 2013."

The preliminary data show a 26 percent jump in the number of motorcyclists who were killed last year compared with 2011. Warm weather led to a longer riding season, one factor officials attribute for the 53 deaths last year compared with 42 the year before. The number of bicyclists, six, also was up one from 2011 while the 38 pedestrians who were killed equaled the 2011 total. The number of people in motor vehicles who were killed dropped by two, from 283 in 2011 to 281 in 2012.

Minnesota’s increase follows a national trend in which fatal crashes rose last year after six years of steady declines.

An estimated 25,580 people have died in motor vehicle crashes in the United States during the first nine months of this year, up from 23,884 during the same time period last year, according to a report put out in December by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

One reason for the uptick nationally might be that Americans - and Minnesotans - drove more in the first nine months of 2012 than they did the previous year. The number of vehicle miles traveled between January and September increased by 14.2 billion miles, or .6 percent, according to the report.

In Minnesota, September was the deadliest month with 48 fatalities, followed by August with 42 and October 38. With 19 deaths, April had the fewest. That was followed by January, 20, and March 23.

Hennepin County, the state’s most populous, recorded the most fatalities with 32, but that was down from 45 in 2011. Anoka County had the second most with 25, up from 11 the previous year and the largest increase of any of the state’s 87 counties. Ramsey County recorded 20 (up from 14), Dakota had 17 (up from 16), Washington had 8 (up from 6) and Scott had 4 (down from 9).

Ten counties - Clearwater, Cook, Kanabec, Lac Qui Parle, Lake of the Woods, Norman, Swift, Traverse, Watonwan and Wilkin - reported no fatal crashes.

Drunken driving accounts for about one-third of fatalities on state roads, officials said. In 2011 there were 111 drunk-driving related deaths. No numbers were given for 2012.

Preliminary data show for 2012 show that 26,628 motorists were arrested for drunken driving, a drop from 29,918 in 2011. But final numbers won’t be available until mid-year when crash data analysis is complete, officials said.

[T.W. Day]

http://www.startribune.com/local/blogs/185571181.html

Jump in motorcycle deaths pushes up fatality count in state

Posted by: Tim Harlow

Despite an uptick in the number of fatalities on state roads last year, 2012 will go down as the third safest in nearly 70 years.

Interesting. I'd love to know what makes MNDOT think there were more motorcycles on the road in 2012. They were sure invisible, if they were out there. For a proposed PSA, I wasted hours on six different days in mid-to-late April and early May trying to get some motorcycles on video. For at least ten hours of filming at rush hour, I got about a half-dozen bikes at three different high traffic locations.

I suspect total mileage wasn't any where near the highs of the last 70 years.

Thomas Day
Minnesota Motorcycle Monthly Magazine
http://http://mnmotorcycle.com/
http://geezerwithagrudge.blogspot.com/
thomas@motorbyte.com