Four Riders Injured in Motorcycle Crash

Date: July 18, 2010
Location: Highway 20 near Bend, Oregon
Names: Benjamin Jonsson, Cara Jonsson, Frederick Herzoff, Annette Herzoff

A bucket in the road caused a crash between two motorcycles on July 18, 2010, on Highway 20 near Bend, Oregon, that injured four people, according to an OSP press release.

Around 10 AM, state police troopers were dispatched to the crash site. A motorcycle operated by Benjamin Jonsson, 54, of Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada, and carrying a passenger, Cara Jonsson, 54, also of Spruce Grove, was traveling west on the highway when Benjamin Jonsson saw a bucket in the road. He was able to swerve and avoid the bucket, which had blown off the back of a truck.

Another motorcycle, operated by Frederick Herzoff, 61, of Paradise City, California, was traveling behind Jonsson, carrying a passenger, Annette Herzoff, 60, also of Paradise City. Frederick Herzoff spotted the bucket and tried to swerve, but crashed into the back of the other motorcycle. Jonsson and Herzoff were not traveling together.

Annette Herzoff sustained critical injuries, and Frederick Herzoff sustained serious injuries. Benjamin and Cara Jonsson had minor injuries. All four were taken by ambulance to St. Charles hospital in Bend.

All four riders were wearing helmets. Police are continuing to investigate the crash.

Our thoughts go out to all the parties involved in this crash:  Benjamin Jonsson, Cara Jonsson, Frederick Herzoff, and Annette Herzoff. We hope you are recovered and out of the hospital soon.

Motorcycle riders face special challenges staying safe on the road. The injury and death rates for motorcycle riders are high. Several factors contribute to the potential risk: a motorcycle itself is more difficult to handle than a car, and two-wheeled vehicles are more unstable than those with four wheels. Adding to the danger, some motorists may find motorcyclists harder to see, or just aren’t watchful of them. And a substantial factor in many crashes is inexperience. This is why we welcome the new Oregon motorcycle law requiring motorcycle skills training, and we are optimistic that this will make the roads safer for all.

Sometimes, though, you can do everything right and still end up in a crash. In these cases, an investigation by a competent Oregon personal injury attorney can make the difference. In this crash, for instance, it’s important to know where the bucket came from, and why. Who was driving the truck carrying the bucket? When the bucket blew off the back of the truck, had the driver taken precautions to secure it? Were there other factors that contributed to this crash?