Rally death toll hits nine

By Bill Cissell, and Heidi Bell Gease, Journal Staff Writers | Saturday, August 14, 2004

Previous Page

Share

• del.icio.us
• Digg
• NewsVine
• Fark

Print

Email

A motorcyclist died Friday after he failed to negotiate a curve east of Cottonwood, according to a South Dakota Highway Patrol report.

According to the report, James W. Nelson, 51, Beaver Dam, Mich., failed to make a corner on U.S. Highway 14 two miles east of Cottonwood about 9:50 a.m. Friday. Nelson, who was not wearing a helmet, was thrown from the 2001 Harley-Davidson and sustained massive head injuries. Speed and alcohol were not involved but an autopsy has been requested because of possible health-related problems, according to the report.

Nelson was the ninth person to die in a motorcycle crash during the 2004 Sturgis motorcycle rally, according to Rapid City Journal statistics.

Meanwhile, Sturgis Police Chief Jim Bush said Friday that drug arrests in Sturgis continue to run heavier than last year. As of 6 a.m. Friday 88 people had been arrested on misdemeanor and felony drug related charges, compared to 58 at the same time last year.

Bush said he didn't have a breakdown on the types of drugs being found. In Bush's printed report, 150 illegal parking tickets have been issued, and 50 people have been either cited or arrested for open alcohol containers. There have also been 16 arrests or citations for underage consumption of alcohol, and 29 people were arrested for driving under the influence.

Meade County Sheriff Ron Merwin said traffic was heavy Thursday night, with people trying to get to the Kid Rock concert at the Buffalo Chip Campground east of Sturgis. Merwin said traffic was backed up all the way from the campground through Sturgis to Exit 30 on Interstate 90.

Merwin's written report noted that DUI arrests are down, with only three people charged this year, compared to 12 last year.

There have been five more injury accidents, 47 this year compared to 42 last year, and 23 non-injury accidents, compared to 13 last year.

South Dakota Highway Patrol troopers have made 116 DUI arrests in Meade and Lawrence counties during the rally, compared to 111 last year; 101 misdemeanor and felony drug arrests, compared to 147 last year; and issued 1,669 traffic citations and warnings, compared to 1,842 in 2003.

The 64th annual rally, which started Monday, officially ends Sunday. According to Randy Nohava, Sturgis public works director, his crews will begin to remove the barricades and signs for the rally about 2 a.m. Sunday.

Authorities also had details of three separate motorcycle accidents Thursday, in which four people were injured. Names of the injured were not released because relatives had not been notified.

A 17-year-old Lansing, Mich., boy was traveling north on South Dakota Highway 240 about one mile south of Interstate 90 Exit 131 when the accident happened about 6:50 p.m.

The boy had slowed for traffic when his 1984 Honda motorcycle was struck from behind by a Chevrolet Lumina driven by a 15-year-old Owanka boy. Investigators say the Lumina was traveling about 65 mph, 10 miles over the posted speed limit.

The Michigan motorcyclist, who was wearing a helmet, was transported to the Philip Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the

Lumina was cited for speeding and careless driving.

Just after 3 p.m., a 57-year-old Marietta, Ga., man was injured when he tried to pass a truck on the left shoulder on Interstate 90 at Wall. The man hit the rumble strip and lost control of his 2000 Harley-Davidson, causing him to wreck in the median.

The man, who was wearing a helmet, was transported by Life Flight helicopter to Rapid City Regional Hospital, where he was treated for minor scrapes, bruises and strains. He was charged with reckless driving.

Two people suffered minor injuries in a third crash, which happened about 6:45 on Vanocker Road about 1.5 miles south of Nemo Road. A 35-year-old Luck, Wis., man apparently took a curve too fast and lost control of his 2000 Victory motorcycle, laying it down and sliding into the ditch. He suffered a broken thumb, concussion and road rash, according to an incident report from the South Dakota Highway Patrol. His passenger, a 24-year-old woman from Mable Grove, Minn., also suffered minor road rash.