Last week, in a series of articles, The Sentinel reported on the numerous recent motorcycle accidents in the Carlisle, Pa., region that have resulted in serious injuries or death. One story, profiling a local rider, highlighted the vulnerability of motorcyclists, physically and legally.
On an evening in May, a man was riding his motorcycle through Carlisle when he said “a girl that was text messaging” pulled out in front of him. While his bike was nearly destroyed, and sustained about $4,100 in damages, he remarkably emerged from the ordeal without serious injuries. In the initial police report, the man was listed at fault and cited for careless driving regardless of his statement that the other driver involved pulled in front of him while texting. The motorcyclist’s citation has since been discharged following a trial held in June.
In another area crash, which closed highway I-81 in Silver Spring for several hours on July 14, the rider (who was also a friend of the man involved in the previously mentioned story) was not as lucky. Police said the man, who was from Maryland, was hit from behind by a car driven by a 19-year-old girl. The motorcyclist was catapulted from his motorcycle and into the center of the road. He died at the scene as the result of chest injuries.