More than 10 people have been injured in crashes at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally so far this year, according to the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.
The department Sunday released its first rally tally of crashes, arrests and citations counted from 6 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday. The number of injury crashes, felony drug arrests, traffic warnings and citations are up compared to last year.
The number of felony drug arrests more than doubled this year compared to last year — from eight to 23 — in the Sturgis and Rapid City area. There were 11 people injured in crashes Saturday.
Saturday injury crashes, according to the South Dakota Department of Public Safety:
At 6 a.m. Saturday, Vale Cut-Off Road, two miles east of Nisland: A Dodge Ram 2500 pickup crashed earlier Saturday morning and left a female passenger, 28, with minor injuries. A male passenger, 26, was uninjured. The driver left the scene and has not been located. Seat belt use for the two passengers is under investigation.
At 10:06 a.m. Saturday, U.S. Highway 14A, mile marker 32, four miles west of Lead: A motorcycle was westbound when the driver failed to negotiate the curve. The motorcycle slid across the eastbound lanes and into the south ditch. The male driver, 70, received serious non-life-threatening injuries. He was wearing a helmet.
At 11:21 a.m. Saturday, South Dakota Highway 79, mile marker 79, 3 ½ miles east of Sturgis: A motorcycle was southbound when a northbound 2011 Ford Escape turned in front of the motorcycle. The male motorcycle driver, 86, received minor injuries. He was wearing a helmet. The two males in the vehicles, ages 57 and 79, were not injured. Both were wearing seat belts.
At 11:43 a.m. Saturday, South Dakota Highway 34, mile maker 39, four miles east of Sturgis: A motorcycle was eastbound when it struck a deer that had entered the roadway. Both the male driver, 64, and female passenger, 61, suffered serious non-life-threatening injuries. Neither was wearing a helmet.
At 12:18 p.m. Saturday, Interstate 90, mile marker 97, 30 miles east of Box Elder: Two motorcycles were riding westbound, staggered in the passing lane. A motor home moved into the passing lane, forcing the two motorcycles to slow down. One rear-ended the other. One of the male motorcycle drivers, age 39, sustained minor injuries. The other motorcycle driver, 38, was not injured. Both were wearing helmets.
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At 2 p.m. Saturday, South Dakota Highway 44, mile marker 155, 19 miles south of Kadoka: A westbound 2016 Jeep Liberty rear-ended a westbound motorcycle stopped at a stop sign. The collision knocked both occupants off the motorcycle. The male driver, 51, suffered minor injuries. The female passenger, 64, sustained serious non-life-threatening injuries. Both were wearing helmets. The female vehicle driver, 72, was not injured. She was wearing a seat belt.
At 2:30 p.m. Saturday, O’ Neil’s Crossing and U.S. Highway 85, mile marker 5, 12 miles south of Savoy: A motorcycle was traveling on U.S. Highway 85 when the driver lost control. The motorcycle went off the east side of the roadway and through some trees. The male driver, 54, suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. He was not wearing a helmet.
At 8:52 a.m. Saturday, Interstate 90, mile marker 40, eight miles east of Sturgis: A 2015 Jeep Wrangler was eastbound when the driver lost control. The vehicle went off the road and hit a guardrail. The female driver, 45, sustained minor injuries. She was wearing a seat belt.
At 10:38 p.m. Saturday, U.S. Highway 385, mile marker 117, five miles south of Deadwood: A motorcycle was northbound on U.S. Highway 385 when a second motorcycle, leaving a parking lot, attempted to enter the northbound lane. The first motorcycle tried to stop and the male driver fell off his motorcycle. The driver, 49, suffered serious non-life-threatening injuries. The second motorcycle driver, a 54-year-old male, was not injured. Neither were wearing helmets.
Source: Argus Leader