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75th Sturgis Rally becomes the deadliest on record

Iamjoey

Iamjoey

New member
The South Dakota Highway Patrol began recording 75th Sturgis Rally statistics Tuesday, July 28. Since then, up to 6 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, there have been the 12 fatal crashes, 140 injury crashes and 74 non-injury crashes. Last year at this time, there were only three deaths, 63 injury crashes and 42 non-injury crashes.
Here is a list of the fatal crashes during the 75th Sturgis Rally:

  • Sturgis had its first fatal crash Friday, July 31, when Gregory Bullard, 45, Fort Collins, Colo., was killed in a one-bike crash on U.S. Highway 14A, about a mile south of Lead.
  • William Carter, 65 of Seville, Ohio, was riding in Vanocker Canyon Saturday, Aug. 1, when he failed to negotiate a curve south of Galena Road.
  • A chain-reaction crash Sunday, Aug. 2, involving bikes and cars killed Rhonda Denato of Ottumwa, Iowa. The crash was on Interstate 90, west of Murdo.
  • Sunday, Aug. 2, a collision on Highway 44 with a horse trailer being pulled by pickup killed 51-year-old biker Brian Ware of Seattle.
  • Sunday, Aug. 2, Archie Smith, 73, Kansas City, crashed his 1959 Corvette into a cable guard on I-90 at mile marker 71. While not a biker death, since the crash happened during the Sturgis rally it is counted in the data.
  • Monday, Aug. 3, the first official day of the rally, 47-year-old Todd Hay of Deland, Fla., died after his bike left Sherman Street in Sturgis and struck a fence post outside a house.
  • Monday, Aug. 3, Rose Ann Richard, 63, Belfield, N.D., died from injuries sustained in a crash Saturday on Interstate 90, west of Sturgis. She was on a motorcycle hit by 19-year-old Nickolas Hartwell of Rapid City. Hartwell was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, zero tolerance and reckless driving.
  • Monday, Aug. 3, on South Dakota Highway 87 in Custer State Park, John Rowlett, Jr., 42, Wichita, Kans., was killed when he lost control of his motorcycle, went into a ditch and hit a rock.
  • Tuesday, Aug. 4, Highway 385 near Sheridan Lake Road. Destiny Smith, 31, Glendale, Ariz., was killed when the rider of the motorcycle she was a passenger on lost control. Smith was thrown onto the road and hit by another motorcycle.
  • A Wisconsin biker died Wednesday, Aug. 5, due to injuries sustained in a crash Saturday, just east of Sturgis on Interstate 90. Keith Reed, 57, West Allis, Wisc., crashed into the back of another bike that slowed when a driver lost control of his car.
  • Friday, Aug. 7, Douglas Kellar, 56 of Adams, N.Y., tried to avoid a car turning in front of him onto Sturgis Road. He was thrown from his bike and hit the car.
  • Friday, Aug. 7, on SD 244, five miles west of Mount Rushmore, a motorcycle rider lost control of his bike on a gradual curve, went off the road and hit a rock outcropping. His name is being withheld pending notification of his family.
Two other motorcyclist deaths in Wyoming Friday reportedly were people who left the Sturgis Rally. However, the crash wasn’t in the region used to compile rally statistics. :pray::pray::pray::pray:
 
Sad news..!!

Main reason I stay away when the crowds start getting to big...can't have that many and not have problems/traffic fatalities/incedents...it will go on :thumbup:
 
Sad to hear that this year has so many accidents. When there are the numbers of vehicles that Sturgis draws, there are bound to be a lot of incidents.

Lots of beautiful, but also dangerous roads in the area. Any alcohol or drug use, and the problems just seem to multiply.

Thoughts and :pray::pray: go out to the families involved.
 
It doesn't really matter what the causes of these tragedies were; people will NOT be making the trip back home to their families. :shocked:
They will be in our prayers...:pray::pray:

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Having been there this year I would say from personal observation that most would not have been wearing helmets. Although speed could have been a factor most of the people I saw were riding under the posted speed limits and generally not taking chances which really surprised me.
 
Also, there were almost double the amount of people there this year vs. last year.
I try to stay away from the side shows though....

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
 
There was an article on FB that gave more in depth reports on the accidents. If I remember correctly, other than the one arrested for DUI, alcohol was not involved. One with AG was one of the fatals.
 
#1 Reason I have never rode in a Group, Spyder or Jet Ski because you depend on two many other people to make the right decisions ALL at the same time!
 
Rogue Hawk said:
Cops also notice groups more and watch them closely.
Click to expand...

:shocked::hun:
Which has exactly what; to do with all of the deaths at the rally this year? :dontknow:
Personally; I'd rather have some law enforcement around. They might just stop something from happening, that catches me in the middle of it! :thumbup:
 
when carol and i were out in sturgis three weeks before the rally, i'd have ot say that 95% of all the riders in the area did not wear helmets. it's most likely the same when the rally is there. not a good mix. 1,000,000 bikers, mixed with aggrevated cagers who can't get around and no helmets, just not a good mix!!
 
Hi spydaman60,

Re: did not wear helmets

Way too often it's the old, 'Hold my beer & watch this.' Saw a lot of that when I was skydiving.

:lecturef_smilie:

Jerry Baumchen

 
Sarge707 said:
#1 Reason I have nevr rode in a Group, Spyder or Jet Ski because you depend on two many other people to make the right decisions ALL at the same time!
Click to expand...

You are missing out out on one of the great aspects of biking. So many new great friends since I started.
 
I was lucky enough to enjoy this spectacular event, something I will always remember. The tiny towns and police did a faboulus job, the state put up many temp traffic lights, all worked hard to keep bikers a safe as possible.
The bikers I encountered were all on best behavior, very friendly, polite and drove very safe and followed speed limints.
 

RIP to our fallen.I wonder how many of these accidents are preventable.

NOTE. When I was working for the post office I was trained that all accidents are preventable.
 
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