A man died in a crash Monday afternoon outside Lead when he was thrown from his motorcycle after missing a curve in the road, according to Tuesday’s statistics from the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
The man, 29, was driving southbound on North Rochford Road around 3 p.m. when he went off the road at a curve near the Old Salt Road intersection and was thrown from his motorcycle. The driver crossed the center line, went into a ditch and was thrown from the motorcycle.
He was not wearing a helmet and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The crash is the first fatal crash at the rally so far this year. But motorcycle crashes overall this year are down; there have been 18 injury accidents this year, compared to 21 at this time last year.
Drug arrests continue to increase this year with 54 people being arrested on felony drug charges, compared to 32 at this time last year. One hundred and four people have been arrested on misdemeanor drug charges compared to 83 this time last year.
Monday injury accidents:
At 9:35 a.m., Monday Interstate 90, mile marker 15, one mile east of Spearfish: A motorcycle was westbound in the driving lane when the rear tire blew out, causing the driver to lose control. The male driver, 50, was thrown from the motorcycle. He was wearing a helmet and received minor injuries. The driving lane of that area of I-90 was closed for 45 minutes.
At 4:20 p.m. Monday, Interstate 90, mile marker 61, eastbound on-ramp, Rapid City: A 2017 Nissan Versa was entering traffic on the eastbound on ramp when it was rear-ended by a 2005 Buick LeSabre. The 28-year-old female driver of the Nissan received minor injuries. The Buick’s driver, a 44-year-old female, was not injured. Both drivers were wearing seatbelts.
At 4:43 p.m., Monday, South Dakota Highway 79, nine miles north of Sturgis: Two motorcycles were northbound when both tried to pass a third motorcycle going at slower speed. As the first two motorcycles were passing, the third motorcycle turned left colliding with the first two motorcycles. The 48-year-old male driver of the first motorcycle sustained minor injuries. He was not wearing a helmet. The male driver of the second vehicle, 53, suffered serious non-life threatening injuries while the female passenger, 53, had minor injuries. Neither one was wearing a helmet. The male driver of the third motorcycle, 48, had serious non-life threatening injuries while the female passenger, 18, sustained minor injuries. Helmet use of the two occupants on the third motorcycle was not listed.
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Source: Argus Leader