WHITE CO.—What appeared to passersby to be a devastating accident turned out to be a truck-motorcycle collision with minor injuries and a single citation in Carmi yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, May 28, 2013.
Those traveling Highway 1 south of town in front of White County Ford reported to us yesterday afternoon that they’d seen a man lying alongside the roadway, appearing to be the victim of a serious traffic accident.
Fortunately, Ronald D. Bell, 64, of Carmi, wasn’t seriously injured when his Harley was struck by a Dodge Nitro, being driven by Matthew J. Gwaltney, 25. Sheriff Doug Maier reports that Gwaltney was pulling out on to Highway 1 and didn’t see the motorcycle, thus colliding with the back of it, crumpling it, and throwing Bell to the pavement, this occurring at 12:36 p.m.
Maier reports that Bell was transported to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, where he was treated for broken ribs and a road rash.
Maier was uncertain as to whether or not Bell had a helmet on at the time of the crash, but said he didn’t suffer any head injuries. “It just hit him enough to throw him off his bike,” Maier said.
Gwaltney was cited for Failure to Yield to oncoming traffic.