Motorcyclist Killed in Accident South of Salem Involving School Bus

Location: Interstate 5 South of Salem
Names: Ronald V. McNutt, Sarah Hanson

Oregon State Police are investigating a fatal traffic crash involving a motorcycle and a fully-loaded school bus.

Oregon Live reports that at about 3:25pm on January 25 Ronald V. McNutt, age 66 of Turner, was operating a motorcycle, entered the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 near milepost 250 and appeared to lose control between the middle and right lanes. Sarah Hanson, age 29 of Creswell, was driving a fully-loaded Creswell School District school bus when she saw Turner losing control of the motorcycle; she tried to avoid hitting him but was unable to as he fell toward the school bus. The school bus struck Turner, who was wearing a protective helmet, and he died at the scene.

The bus was carrying about 50 high school age students. Neither Hanson nor the students were injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. McNutt’s family and loved ones during this tragic time. We are sincerely sorry for their loss. We also hope that Ms. Hanson and all of the students on the bus will recover fully from being involved in this traumatic accident.

Anytime a motorcycle fatality 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 motorcycles. In this case, Ms. Hanson had Mr. Turner in her view but could not avoid impact. We absolutely welcome the new 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.

If you are suffering because of a traffic accident and wondering what to do next, we offer free information, including how to find a good Portland accident lawyer, how much your case might be worth, and our free book, 7 Common Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Oregon Accident Case is available for Oregon residents and people who were in an accident in Oregon. We also offer free consultations, and you can contact us if you have questions.