STURGIS, S.D. – The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is heading into its final weekend and the South Dakota Highway Patrol reported six injury crashes on Thursday.
Four of those crashes resulted in serious, but non-life-threatening injuries. Two of the crashes resulted in the motorcycle riders being air lifted to the hospital in Rapid City.
No fatal crashes were reported in the latest update.
Fatal crashes remain at 3 while the injury crashes rise to 41. The number of non-injury crashes total 34. Both those numbers remain lower than last year.
The patrol has made 114 total D-U-I arrests so far this year, up over last year. The number of felony drug arrests increases to 88 – lower than this time last year.
Misdemeanor drug arrests total 117.
Here is a synopsis of the latest injury crashes:
At 12:01 p.m., Thursday, near the intersection of Nemo Road and Estes Creek Road, one mile east of Nemo: A 2014 Harley-Davidson Tri-Glide Trike was eastbound on Nemo Road when the driver lost control. The vehicle went into the ditch and eventually rolled over onto the driver. The 71-year-old male driver, who was wearing a helmet, sustained serious non-life threatening injuries. He was wearing a helmet.
At 1:13 p.m., Thursday, U.S. Highway 212, mile marker 25, 10 miles east of Belle Fourche: A 2009 Yamaha Warrior motorcycle was westbound on U.S. Highway 212 when the driver lost control. The motorcycle entered the north ditch and rolled. The 48-year-old male driver suffered minor injuries and was transported to the Spearfish hospital. He was not wearing a helmet.
At 1:46, Thursday, U.S. Highway 14A, mile marker 34, three miles southwest of Lead: A 2009 Harley-Davidson motorcycle was eastbound on U.S. Highway 14A when it swerved to miss an object reported to be in the road. The driver lost control, the motorcycle went into the ditch and hit a sign. The 55-year-old male driver suffered serious non-life threatening injuries and was airlifted to a Rapid City hospital. He was not wearing a helmet.
At 2:29 p.m., Thursday, U.S. Highway 385, mile marker 106, 16 miles south of Deadwood: A 2017 Harley-Davidson FLH motorcycle was southbound on U.S. Highway 385 and had pulled to the shoulder of the road to make a U-turn into the northbound lane. While attempting the U-turn, the motorcycle collided with a southbound 1995 Harley-Davidson XL883 motorcycle. The 56-year-old female driver of the XL883 motorcycle sustained serious non-life threatening injuries and was airlifted to the Rapid City hospital. She was not wearing a helmet. The 65-year-old male driver of the FLH motorcycle was not injured. He was wearing a helmet.
At 4:09 p.m., Thursday, U.S. Highway 14A, mile marker 12, one mile south of Spearfish: A 2017 Harley-Davidson motorcycle was northbound on U.S. Highway 14A and entered the approach to a parking area. The motorcycle turned too quickly and was rear-ended by a 2004 Harley-Davidson motorcycle. The 2004 motorcycle tipped over and the 72-year-old male driver was thrown from the motorcycle. He suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. He was taken to the Spearfish hospital. The 70-year-old male driver of the 2017 was wearing a helmet.
At 6:40 p.m., Thursday, Interstate 90, mile marker 30, within the city limits of Sturgis: The driver of a 2006 Harley-Davidson Cruiser motorcycle lost control while getting on Interstate 90 at exit 30. The 61-year-old male driver was not injured. The 57-year-old female passenger suffered minor injuries. She was taken by private vehicle to the Sturgis hospital. They were not wearing helmets.
