STURGIS, S.D. – A Sunday afternoon crash has resulted in the second fatality of this year’s Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
The highway patrol says the accident happened at mile marker 47 on I-90 two miles west of Summerset.
An eastbound 1986 Honda GLI200 motorcycle swerved to miss an eastbound 2006 GMC Envoy which was ahead of it. The motorcycle hit the Envoy and the driver was thrown from the motorcycle. An eastbound 2005 Harley Davidson FLHRS Road King motorcycle hit the first motorcycle that was lying in the roadway. The 51-year-old male driver of the Road King was thrown from the motorcycle and was pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a helmet. The 64-year-old male driver of the Honda motorcycle suffered serious non-life threatening injuries and was taken to the Sturgis hospital. He was not wearing a helmet. The 48-year-old male driver of the Envoy was not injured. Seatbelt use is under investigation.
As for injury crashes, the patrol reported ten that occurred in the past 24 hours. Another accident on I-90 near New Underwood left a 73-year-old passenger on a motorcycle with life-threatening injuries.
The district total so far indicates 14 injury crashes and 12 non-injury crashes.
The patrol has made 45 D-U-I arrests so far, down 12 from last year at this time and 19 felony drug arrests – right in line with last year.
Here is a synopsis of the latest injury crashes:
Injury Crashes:
At 10:45 a.m., Sunday, U.S. Highway 14A, mile marker 47, four miles south of Sturgis: A 2006 Yamaha Stratoliner motorcycle was southbound on U.S. Highway 14A when the driver lost control when he suddenly stopped. Both the 39-year-old male driver and the 45-year-old female passenger sustained minor injuries and were taken to the Deadwood hospital. They were not wearing helmets.
At 11:15 a.m., Sunday, Highway 87, mile marker 72, on Needles Highway: A 2018 Harley-Davidson Touring Motorcycle was southbound on South Dakota Highway 87 when the driver lost control. The 67-year-old male driver sustained serious non-life threatening injuries. He was transported to the Custer hospital. He was wearing a helmet.
At 12:15 p.m., Sunday, Highway 87, mile marker 78, one mile near U.S. Highway 385: A 2005 Harley-Davidson motorcycle was southbound on South Dakota Highway 87 when the driver lost control while negotiating the curve, slid across the opposing lane and entered the ditch. The 20-year-old male driver sustained serious non-life threatening injuries. He was wearing a helmet.
At 1:53 p.m., Sunday, U.S. Highway 16A, mile marker 36, 13 miles east of Custer: A 2015 Harley-Davidson FLHX motorcycle was westbound on U.S. Highway 16A and tried to turn left into the east entrance of Wildlife Loop Road. The 67-year-old driver failed to negotiate the corner and tipped over the motorcycle. The driver, who was wearing a helmet, suffered non-life threatening injuries. He was transported to a Rapid City hospital.
At 3 p.m., Sunday, U.S. Highway 16A, mile marker 46, within city limits in Keystone: A 2006 Harley-Davidson motorcycle was northbound on U.S. Highway 16A when the driver lost control and the motorcycle went into the ditch. The 69-year-old male driver sustained minor injuries and was taken to the Rapid City hospital. He was wearing a helmet.
At 5:58 p.m., Sunday, the intersection of U.S. Highway 14A and Wall Street in Deadwood: A 2016 Indian motorcycle was turning right from Wall Street onto U.S. Highway 14A when the 58-year-old female driver lost control. She sustained minor injuries and was taken to the Lead Deadwood hospital. She was wearing a helmet.
At 6:31 p.m., Sunday, U.S. Highway 85, mile marker 3, 12 miles southwest of Cheyenne Crossing: A 2009 Harley-Davidson FXLRS motorcycle left U.S. Highway 85 and hit a tree. Both the 67-year-old male driver and the 66-year-old female passenger received serious non-life threatening injuries. The driver was airlifted to the Rapid City hospital and the passenger was transported to the Lead Deadwood hospital. Both were wearing helmets.
At 6:38 p.m., Sunday, near the intersection of Sturgis Road and Piedmont Meadows Road, 12 miles southeast of Sturgis: A 2011 Harley-Davidson FLT motorcycle failed to negotiate a curve on Sturgis Road, entered the west ditch and struck a fence post. The 60-year-old male driver sustained serious non-life threatening injuries and was taken to the Rapid City hospital. He was wearing a helmet.
At 7:53 p.m., Sunday, Interstate 90, mile marker 78, near Exit 78 (New Underwood exit): A motorcycle was westbound on Interstate 90 when a mechanical failure caused the driver to lose control. Both passengers were thrown from the motorcycle. The 74-year-old male driver sustained minor injuries and the 73-year-old female passenger sustained life threatening injuries. Both were transported to the Rapid City hospital. Neither wore a helmet.
At 2:15 a.m., Monday, Interstate 90, mile marker 33, one mile east of Sturgis: A 2020 Harley-Davidson FLTRX motorcycle was eastbound on Interstate 90 when the motorcycle left the roadway, traveled through the median and down into a ravine. The 26-year-old male driver sustained serious non-life threatening injures and transported to the Sturgis hospital. He was not wearing a helmet.
