On Saturday afternoon, Dodge County Sheriff’s deputies responded to calls about two motorcycle accidents that sent both motorcyclists to the hospital with sedate injuries.
The 80th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is taking place right now, with thousands of people flocking to the compact South Dakota town despite the coronavirus pandemic.
City of Lowell
A 45-year-old Brandon man was airlifted from the scene of a single-vehicle crash on Highway GI near North Kohn Road with sedate head injuries.
The crash happened just after 3 p.m. when a motorcycle traveling west on the GI Highway failed to negotiate a curve, Lt. Brian Loos said in a statement. The operator was ejected from the motorcycle. He was not wearing a helmet. Before being taken from the scene, the operator was arrested for a misdemeanor charge of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
Beaver Dam paramedics, Clyman/Lowell/Reeseville paramedics, the fire department and Flight For Life also responded to the scene.
City of Trenton
The sheriff’s office investigated a second sedate motorcycle crash that occurred around 4:30 p.m.
911 callers reported a single-vehicle crash on Redwood Road near Jersey Road, Loos said. A 19-year-old Beaver Dam man was taken by ambulance to a hospital and then airlifted to a trauma center by medical helicopter.
The initial investigation showed the motorcycle was traveling in a group of four motorcycles eastbound on Redwood Road, Loos said. The motorcycle was traveling too speedy to negotiate the curve before the intersection, and the rider locked up his brakes, lost control on the curve and spun out of the vehicle. He was wearing a helmet.
The Beaver Dam Fire Department and paramedics also responded to the scene. UW Med Flight responded to the hospital to take the operator to a trauma center.
