An off-duty police officer in California was killed while he was riding his motorcycle on May 1 on Highway 91 in Corona. The motorcycle accident occurred when a sedan clipped the man’s Harley-Davidson while changing lanes on that road. The 30-year-old victim had been with the San Bernadino Police Department for eight years, and he became a motorcycle officer just a few months ago.
Coworkers and supervisors explained that the man had been riding civilian motorcycles long before he ever became a motorcycle cop. Further, he had received a significant amount of training designed to prevent just such an accident. However, those coworkers also admit that motorcycle riders face special risk because of the nature of their vehicles; negligent drivers can cause serious collisions when they behave irresponsibly around motorcycle riders.
The 29-year-old driver of the car that struck the man was reportedly switching lanes between the fast lane and the carpool lane when she struck the victim. The collision sent the rider flying over a freeway wall and into oncoming traffic, where he was run over by a 46-year-old driver behind the wheel of a Toyota Corolla. Experts say that the second driver did not have time to react to the incident.
It is not yet clear whether the drivers in this case will face criminal charges for their involvement in the wreck. However, the negligent party determined to be at-fault for the motorcycle collision may face civil action from the man’s surviving wife and three children. Those relatives should not have had to lose their loved one in such a violent manner, and they deserve compensation for their pain and suffering, among other claims.
Source: The Press-Enterprise, PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED ARTICLE: “CORONA: Off-duty officer killed riding Harley on Hwy 91 (Update 3)” Richard Brooks, May. 01, 2014