A motorcyclist was seriously injured Saturday afternoon in a two-vehicle crash in Boone County.
The crash happened around 3:50 p.m. on August 1, 2026, on Route U south of Ricketts Road. A 2017 Ford Explorer made a left turn onto Route U from Ricketts Road and traveled into the path of a northbound 2008 Harley-Davidson Dyna Street Bob.
The motorcycle driver braked while trying to avoid the collision, crossed the center of the roadway, and collided with the rear of the Ford. The Ford came to rest on the west side of the roadway, while the motorcycle came to rest off the east side of the roadway in a ditch.
The 42-year-old motorcycle driver suffered serious injuries and was taken by EMS to a local hospital. He was ejected from the motorcycle. Both vehicles were totaled and removed from the scene.
The report states that the Ford driver was wearing a safety device. The motorcycle driver was not.
Motorcycle crashes can be especially severe because riders have far less protection than people inside passenger vehicles. When a vehicle turns into a motorcycle’s path, the rider may have only seconds to brake, swerve, or attempt to avoid impact. Even then, the rider may be left with no safe option.
This crash shows why drivers must use extreme caution before turning onto a roadway. A left turn is not safe unless the driver has checked for approaching traffic and confirmed there is enough time and space to complete the turn. Turning into the path of a motorcyclist can force that rider into an emergency they did not create.
Motorcyclists should not have to absorb the consequences of another driver’s unsafe turn. Conduct that places a motorcycle directly in danger and causes a serious injury crash should be taken seriously and addressed under the law.
All facts reported upon herein are based upon preliminary
