2 die, 3 hurt in motorcycle pileup
Two people died and three were injured in an accident on the Geiger Grade that involved three motorcycles.
The accident occurred June 7 just after 9am on Highway 341 approximately 2½ miles south of the Highway 395 junction.
Nevada Highway Patrol troopers said a 2001 orange Harley Davidson driven by James L. Wood, 68, along with passenger Linda J Esterling-Wood, 64, both of Silver Springs, was riding in tandem with a 2004 Black Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Robert E. Sanders, 60, of Reno along with passenger Lisa M. Cissna, 47, also of Reno. They were traveling south when Woods’ motorcycle collided with a 2001 Black Honda motorcycle driven by Jacob W. Jensen, 43, of Sparks. All three three riders were ejected from the bikes.
After the initial collision between Jensen and Woods; Sanders’ motorcycle traveled over Jensen’s motorcycle which was on the ground. This caused Sanders and Cissna to be ejected off their motorcycle.
Wood and Sanders both died at the scene. Jensen was taken by Care Flight to Renown Medical Center with severe injuries. Esterling-Wood was transported by REMSA to Renown, also with severe injuries. Cissna was also transported by REMSA to Renown but was release later that afternoon.
Although the accident is still under investigation alcohol does not seem to be a factor.
Witnesses or anyone with more information are encouraged to call 775.689.4623.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
I no longer ride, but I rode for about 30 years and loved every minute of it. Well, almost every minute. Four days of rain during a long ride can be a bit of a downer.
But for folks who think that their ability to drive a car and even balance a bicycle makes them safe motorcycle riders, they’re simply, and dangerously, wrong. If you’re a motorcycle rider, and the term “counter steering” is unfamiliar to you, then you’re at serious risk. Without training, few motorcycle riders know how to change the trajectory of a turn midway through it, or fully realize the real turning capabilities of their ride.
Motorcycle Safety Foundation offers classes in how to actually ride. When I was riding, I not only took their class; I did their refresher courses every other year. And, in between years, at the end of winter I always found an open parking lot and practiced the lessons they taught.
I love motorcycle riding, and miss it tremendously. And the windy mountain roads in our area make for very fun riding. But riding is a skill, and every time I read about someone running off the road or failing to maintain their line through a turn, it’s clear that we’re looking at someone who has not learned nor practiced the skills required to ride.
Please, no matter your age (and I’m older than any of the folks involved in this sad wreck), take your hobby seriously and learn the skills required through a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course. You’ll even likely receive a deduction on your insurance.