Motorcyclist Injured in Crash with Suspended Driver

Date: October 9, 2009
Location: Hwy. 140 & S 6th Street, Klamath Falls, Oregon
Names: Dwight Gobble, Eric Stowers

Dwight Gobble, 41, of Malin, Oregon, was seriously injured on October 9, 2009, while riding his motorcycle in Klamath Falls, Oregon, when Eric Stowers, 26, steered his truck into the motorcycle’s path.

The accident occurred near the intersection of Highway 140 and S 6th Street in Klamath Falls. According to the Herald and News, Gobble was riding his 2000 Harley-Davidson motorcycle south on 6th Street, when Stowers drove out of a parking lot and turned his truck north, directly into Gobble’s path. Gobble’s motorcycle crashed into the left side of the truck’s bed.

Gobble was seriously injured in the crash, and was transported by ambulance to Sky Lakes Medical Center. It is unclear whether he was wearing a helmet. Stowers was not hurt in the crash. According to a press release by the Oregon State Police, Stowers failed to yield to the motorcycle; he was cited for driving while suspended and reckless driving.

Oregon State Police troopers at the scene were assisted by Klamath County Sheriff’s deputies and Klamath County Fire District No. 1.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s For Car Drivers offers a list of “Ten Things All Car & Truck Drivers Should Know About Motorcycles.” According to the MSF, more than half of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve a motor vehicle.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Gobble, and we wish him a full and fast recovery. Anytime a motorcycle accident occurs, we are reminded of the high injury and death rates for motorcycle riders. Several factors contribute to the potential risk, but probably none more so than motorists’ seeming inability to see riders. Certainly skill can come into play, and we absolutely welcome the Oregon law requiring motorcycle skills training. However, no matter how safely a person rides, a car driver who isn’t looking will remain a danger to a motorcyclist.

Also in play in this accident is the man who was driving with a suspended license. There is no excuse for this blatant disregard for the law – and others’ lives and well-being.