Lafayette Township, PA : Bikers in accident on way to Rally in the Valley on Saturday, 20th August, 2016
Lafayette Hill, Pennsylvania
An organizer of this weekend’s Rally in the Valley in Allegany reported Monday that a serious motorcycle accident Saturday on Route 219 in Lafayette Township, Pa., involved three bikers traveling to the event.
Rally organizer Larry Penman said he received reports that three bikers who were northbound on Route 219 and traveling to the rally were seriously injured when they were struck by a vehicle at the intersection with Route 59 near Tack’s Inn.
The names of the three bikers, as well as more details regarding the 12:55 p.m. accident, have not yet been provided by Kane-based state police. Troopers did report the driver of the car and a front-seat passenger were not injured in the accident. The motorcyclists were transported to an out-of-area hospital for treatment.
A section of Route 219 was blocked to traffic for several hours until the scene was cleared.
“They were planning to stop at a (clubhouse) west of Olean” before riding to the rally, Penman said of the injured bikers. “What a shame to have a car plow into you like that. We were all kind of bummed out until we heard they were OK.”
Penman said another accident also occurred during the Dennis Jones Memorial Rally in the Valley Dice Run on Sunday but had a less severe outcome.
A portion of road on Route 417, between Ceres and Portville, had been milled by road crews the Friday before the event, he said, leaving a 4-inch ledge connecting to the paved section of the road. Penman said he and fellow event organizer Dan Barr had checked the route Thursday and found it to be acceptable at that time.
“My wife and I were some of the first group of riders that hit it and saw four guys ahead of us go airborne” from the impact, Penman said.
Penman said he braked when he saw the other riders hit hard, but Barr, who was riding behind them, hit the ledge, causing his bike to overturn.
Penman said Barr was taken to the hospital for what he believed was a fractured leg but found out later it wasn’t broken. Barr did suffer road rash on his elbow, according to his friend.
Despite the two incidents, Penman said the 14th-annual event did well during its four-day run in Allegany. The festival was also held one day in Olean.
Penman noted the dice run started out slow in the morning due to rain but picked up in the afternoon after skies cleared.
“The fireworks (Friday) were the best anyone has ever seen, thanks to Mayor Greg Pearl,” Penman added.
A portion of the proceeds from the event are given to charities, with this year’s funds designated for the SPCA in Cattaraugus County and the Olean American Legion.
Source :
Bikers in accident on way to Rally in the Valley