Motorcycle Highway Crash Kills 1, Injures 1
On June 20, two motorcycles crashed on a northern New Jersey highway, killing one Pennsylvania woman and critically injuring her companion. A New York man is facing drunken driving charges.
According to this article, the motorcycle crash occurred around 1:15 a.m. on eastbound Route 78 in Bedminster.
Nicole Widener, 45, and Paul Shelly, 56, both of Stewartsville, Pa., were riding on a motorcycle that Shelly was driving when it was struck by another motorcycle driven by 36-year-old Maurice Smith of Patchogue, N.Y.
Widener was thrown into the roadway and then run over and killed by a car that left the scene. Shelly was hospitalized in critical condition with leg and other injuries.
The National Highway Traffic Administration (NTHSA) estimates that 4,000 deaths and around 76,000 injuries take place every year due to motorcycle accidents. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reported that in 2008, there were 237 motorcycle riders killed in Pennsylvania. NHTSA also has reported increasing numbers of motorcycle deaths associated with alcohol-impaired driving in recent years, especially among persons aged >40 years.
Mr. Smith could be held both criminally and civilly responsible for the accident. The families of Ms. Widener and Mr. Shelly would be well advised to contact experienced attorneys who understand the severity of Philadelphia motorcycle accidents and their life-changing effects. The experienced Pennsylvania vehicle accident lawyers at Cherry, Fieger, Marciano offer free consultations.
