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Needless to say due to the size of the "Rally" in Sodak there are always some casualties....

Two bikers killed, one burned in accidents
By Heidi Bell Gease and Ryan Woodard, Journal Staff Writer
Two bikers were killed and another severely burned in three separate accidents Tuesday.

The first accident occurred early Tuesday afternoon. A Colorado Springs man died after his motorcycle crashed on Interstate 90, sending him rolling under a parked pickup.

Barry Lynn Heath, 57, was westbound on a 2006 Harley Davidson about 1:45 p.m. when he lost control of his motorcycle in heavy traffic east of the Deadwood Avenue exit. According to a South Dakota Highway Patrol incident report, the motorcycle went down on the shoulder.

The bike then slid into the ditch about 50 feet away. Heath rolled under a 1990 Dodge Dakota pickup that was parked on the side of the road with a flat tire. Heath was trapped under the vehicle until rescue workers reached the scene, according to the report.

Heath was taken by ambulance to Rapid City Regional Hospital, where he died of his injuries. He was wearing a helmet.

The other fatal accident happened about 8:20 p.m. about 12 miles east of Belle Fourche. Michael Herrick, 52, of Oklahoma City, was traveling east on U.S. Highway 212 when he entered the south ditch, according to a South Dakota Highway Patrol Incident report.

After entering the ditch, he was thrown from his motorcycle and suffered fatal injuries. The report said speed and alcohol were factors in the accident.

The third accident occurred about 8:16 p.m. Tuesday evening. According to the incident report, 34-year-old Maryland resident Donald Harrison was driving north on U.S. Highway 385 south of Deadwood on a 2003 Harley-Davidson motorcycle when he collided with a deer.

After colliding with the deer, Harrison crossed the centerline and struck a southbound Harley-Davidson driven by 45-year-old William Molison of Iowa.

After the collision Harrison's bike ignited, and Molison suffered third degree burns over 70 percent of his body. Harrison is listed in fair condition at Rapid City Regional Hospital, and Molison was not listed as a patient at RCRH and further information was unavailable.

Two other bikers, Seward, Neb., residents Daryl Hansen, 53, and William Phillips, 44, crashed trying to avoid the other collision and received minor injuries.

Tuesday's accidents brought the total number of bikers killed during this year's Sturgis motorcycle rally to five.

A Missouri man died Sunday near Piedmont and an Iowa man was killed Sunday near Wall, both in one-vehicle accidents.

Last Friday, Michael Driggers, 52, Corbin, Ky., was riding on S.D. Highway 34 three miles east of Sturgis when his 2005 Harley-Davidson ran into the back of another 2005 Harley ridden by 52-year-old Donald K. Lloyd of Corbin. Driggers, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered head injuries and died Sunday. Lloyd suffered minor injuries, South Dakota Highway Patrol Lt. Kevin Karley said.

I'm glad I don't recognize any of the names. There are a lot of guys I know that are in attendance.

Life (and death) can be so cruel. They died with their boots on doing what they loved.

May their God(s) bless and look after them. Sincere condolences to their families.

I was up there this year and saw a really bad accident a 'few' miles East of Rapid City. I can't recall the name of the town, but a guy was hauling a$$ down 90 and a cage was entering the highway from an on-ramp and wasn't paying attention. The cage crossed over the right lane into the left, right in front of the rider. The rider had to exit the road onto the shoulder (very soft) and his front wheel planted. The bike flipped and the rider was thrown - Bad. The bike was an unrecognizeable, mangeled heap when it finally stopped and the rider was entangled in a barbwire fence approx. 60 yards down the way from the bike. Unfortunately, the rider wasn't wearing a helmet and was DOA when rescue crews finally arrived. I don't know what the official cause of death was, so I do not know if a helmet would have saved him. Either way, he died due to negligence.
Two things went wrong in this. The cage wasn't paying attention, and neither was the rider. We really have to be aware of our surroundings, especially near an on-ramp. Too many freakin' people get on the highway witout looking....

A few years ago a guy I worked with bought his brand new Harley just a few days prior to Sturgis and then rode it up there. He had passed his MSF course and gotten his motorcycle license just a few weeks before. He spent over $20,000 on a new UltraWideGlideElectraFatBob and a few grand on leather clothes for himself and his wife. With a few hours experience on a Honda 250 they took off on a several hundred mile, two up, trip on an 800 pound motorcycle. They got through it alive, but with lots of those folks on the road it's surprising there aren't MORE deaths. Now, three years later, he understands how monumentally stupid that trip was.

I hear so far there have been 3 deaths at daytona biketober fest. Thare where 2 rider from CT killed in Laconia last year. I think the problem is these big ralleys are getting too big.

Also REAL easy to get distracted with all those bikes, not to mention the usual show off stuff.

The final count for Daytona Biketoberfest 2006 is 4 deaths. A woman walking with her husband, was plowed into by a young biker drag racing another bike from a stoplight. The accident happended on the last day (Sunday).