A motorcyclist in El Paso County tragically lost his life after a crash involving a car on the morning of June 23. The Colorado State Patrol is still in the process of investigating the crash, and they have not yet filed charges against the driver of the car involved in the accident. Motorcycle accidents often prove fatal, so thankfully the family of the deceased man has precedent in filing a wrongful death suit in civil court apart from any criminal charges that might be filed.
According to the accident report, just before 9 a.m. a motorcycle headed eastbound on a local street was stopped at a red light. A vehicle driven by a 45-year-old woman apparently failed to stop in time and struck the motorcycle from behind. The force of the impact was enough to push the bike into the intersection, ejecting its 80-year-old male rider. He was rushed to a local hospital with critical injuries and was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
The driver of the car suffered only minor injuries in the crash as she was wearing a seat belt at the time of the collision. Police do not believe speed or alcohol consumption were factors in the crash. Their investigation is ongoing.
Motorcycle accidents are all-too common in Colorado, and often result in fatalities. State law will allow the family to file a wrongful death suit against the driver of the car in civil court. If police uncover any evidence the driver was negligent or reckless in her operation of her vehicle, this could be offered to support the family’s case in civil court.