Driver Found Not Guilty in Military MC Deaths

Concord, New Hampshire (August 10, 2022) - A jury on Tuesday acquitted a pickup truck driver of causing the deaths of seven members of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club in a head-on collision in northern New Hampshire back in 2019.

 

Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 26, of West Springfield, Massachusetts, had pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of negligent homicide, manslaughter, driving under the influence, and reckless conduct, although some of the charges were dropped during the trial. He has been in jail since the crash on June 21, 2019, in Randolph. His trial began on July 26.

Read More: Driver Acquitted in Deaths of Jarheads MC Members 

Multiple motorcyclist involved in crash

Allegheny Township, Pennsylvania (July 30, 2022) - At least eight people were hospitalized following a multi-vehicle motorcycle crash in Westmoreland County on Saturday afternoon. 

According to emergency dispatchers, the collision occurred near Lynch Road in Allegheny Township around 1:30 p.m.

 

Four of the injured people were taken to the hospital by air transport. The other four were taken by ground vehicles, dispatchers said.




A Facebook post from an account called Riding for the Cure said the crash happened during their annual ride for breast cancer patients.




“We have been made aware of the accident that occurred on the ride,” the post reads. “Everyone involved has received medical attention. Please keep those involved in your thoughts and prayers, as well as those that are continuing on.”

The post emphasized that reports saying 30 bikes were involved in the crash were incorrect.

Allen "Bobby" Hill dead at age 100

Columbus, Ohio, USA (July 29, 2022) - Bobby Hill passed away July 12, 2022 100 years old. He was born July 8, 1922 in Tridelphia, West Virginia to the late Laura Mae and George Hill. He was preceded in death by his wife Nancy Lee, and brothers William Hill Sr. (Janet) his son William Hill JR and Robert Eugene Hill. He began racing flat tracks in 1940 on a 1939 WLDR Harley.

In 1942, he won 6 of 7 feature races before entering the marines in World War 2 as a Hydraulic mechanic for planes. Never racing as an amateur, he returned to racing in the expert class. He won his first National Championship, in 1948 on the 10 mile track in Jacksonville, FL. In 1950, Bobby became part of the Infamous Indian “Wrecking Crew”, made up of himself, Bill Tuman and Ernie Beckman.

 

In 1951 and 1952 he won National Championships at Springfield, Illinois and the honor of using the #1 plate for two years. He was the Most Popular Rider in the US in 1952. In 1954, he won the Daytona 200 race on the beach-road course on a BSA.

Over the years, he was honored as the first inductee to the Charity Newsies Hall of Fame in Columbus, Ohio, the National Motorcycle Hall of Fame in Sturgis SD, the Springfield Indian Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass, and the AMA Hall of Fame in Pickerington, Ohio.



He was most honored by an engraved photo on the Monument commemorating the winners of the Daytona 200 erected on the old beach-road course. Bobby and Nancy lived in Grove City since 1954 and loved their friends like family.

He is survived by children: Barbara Ohly, James R Hill (Judy), Tami Steele (Steve Capocciama), grandchildren: Dane Ohly (Ainsley) son Dash, Josh Hill (Whitney) son Townes, Jordan Hill, Joe Hill daughter Haylynn, Erin Steele son Jax, Jamie Steele (Krista), Shana (Cory) Aycock daughter Marlee, cousins: Charlotte (Tim) Reichert, Mary Ruth Brennan, Niece Mona (Jon) Journey and son Austin (Brittany) Journey.

Friends and family may visit Tues 2-4 pm July 26 at Newcomer Southwest, 3393 Broadway, Grove City, Oh 43123. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Daytona 200 Monument at Daytona200Monument.com

Coliseum Requested for Sonny Barger's Service

Oakland, California, USA (July 17, 2022) - The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club has requested to hold Sonny Barger’s memorial service at the Oakland Coliseum complex, just a couple of miles away from the Foothill Boulevard clubhouse where he founded. Barger died June 29 at his home in Livermore.

A funeral at the coliseum may or may not happen, but it is up for discussion. Henry Gardner, the executive director of the Coliseum Authority, plans to discuss the club’s proposal with his board.

In a memo to the board, Gardner said the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club have asked to use the stadium’s parking lot for a service in August, but he’s waiting to hear back from authorities.

“We have consulted with the city’s leadership, including the Oakland Police Department, to seek guidance on whether or not this event can be safely and securely managed,” Gardner wrote. “The group estimates there will be approximately 2,000 of their members in attendance".

"The Oakland Police Department is taking the lead in determining a safety plan and will be providing us with their recommendations on whether and how we should proceed.” it continued

Events at the Coliseum, which is publicly-owned, do not necessarily need the approval of the Coliseum board, which is made up of members of the Oakland City Council, county Board of Supervisors, and members appointed by both government bodies.

Read the memo here: The Oakland Arena Board Memo

Driver flees with motorcycle still attached

Sao Paulo, Brazil (June 2, 2022) - A video has surfaced that shows a driver allegedly involved in a hit-and-run case driving away with the motorcycle attached to the front of his sport utility vehicle. The incident took place in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and has been posted online by ViralHog.

 

Screenshot of video posted on ViralHog

The video, made available by Maíres Rodrigues, says that the vehicle driver ran over a motorcyclist and did not stop to provide help. The person who shot the video followed the vehicle to catch a glimpse of the driver. But as soon as the car approached the fleeing driver's vehicle, the motorcycle that he ran over was seen attached to the front of the SUV.

ViralHog further said in the description of the video that the driver was stopped a few kilometers ahead by the police and detained. The motorcycle rider was, meanwhile, rushed to the hospital where he is recovering.

Info from Licensor:
Immigrant highway towards the coast, we saw the car driver running over the motorcyclist who did not stop to provide help, we followed him on the run and realized that he had the motorcycle that he ran over attached to the front of the car. We shouted a lot asking him to stop and even so he continued with the escape. 

The injured person was rescued and taken to hospital and is currently recovering, the offender was stopped kilometers ahead by the police, and was detained at the police station.

Cops Ditch Motorcycles to Tackle Thief

Beverly Hills, California, USA (June 1, 2022) - A suspected thief is in custody thanks to a flying tackle by two motorcycle cops. The video shows the two cops ditching their motorcycles in the middle of the street to catch the suspect, prompting praise online for the swift arrest.

 

According to ABC 7, the officers were patrolling in Beverly Hills when the suspect ran across their path on Rodeo Drive. In the video, a man carrying a pink bag sprints across an intersection at the same moment two motorcycle cops are driving through.



One officer jumps off his motorcycle, which he lets drop to the pavement, and tackles the suspect to the ground, the video shows. Another motorcycle officer arrives seconds later and the scene repeats itself.

The officers and suspect were not immediately named. It’s unclear if anyone suffered injuries.

Eight Motorcyclists Injured in Crash

Northfield, Massachusett, USA (May 30, 2022)BSB - A Rhode Island man is facing several charges, including operating under the influence, after eight people were injured when he allegedly crashed his SUV into five motorcycles in Northfield on Sunday, according to the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office.

 

Photo: Northwestern District Attorney’s office on Facebook

Ryan O’Farrell, 32, of Westerly was traveling south in an SUV, which was pulling a motorcycle in a trailer, near 272 Main Street in Northfield around 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, when he allegedly crossed over a solid yellow double center lane and hit five motorcycles heading north, the DA’s office said.

The nine motorcyclists, eight of which were taken to area medical centers, were part of Connecticut motorcycle club that left the Connecticut around 11:00 a.m. on Sunday. Two of the motorcyclists were critically injured in the crash and taken to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center in Worcester, the DA’s office said.



Two children, aged 11 and 12, who were in the SUV with O’Farrell were also taken to the hospital though they appeared to be uninjured.

O’Farrell was arrested on seven counts of operating under the influence of drugs causing serious bodily injury, operating under the influence of drugs, two counts of child endangerment, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and operating an unregistered motor vehicle.

O’Farrell will be arraigned in Greenfield District Court Tuesday morning. He was held on $250,000 bail, according to the DA’s office. The crash is still under investigation.

VIDEO: Cops Praise Biker For Not Killing Road Rage Man

Palm Coast, Florida, USA (May 21, 2022)BSB - A Florida man has been arrested and charged with assault after pulling a knife on a biker in a road rage confrontation and lunging at him, that's when the biker pulled out a handgun.

The incident occurred shortly after 1:00 P.M. Tuesday, May 17, when police dispatch received six separate 911 calls informing them there was an armed confrontation at Pine Lakes Parkway and Whirlaway Drive. The whole thing was all captured on film, thanks to the biker's wife who was riding pillion.

 

The couple told police that the driver of a Silver Toyota Tacoma had cut them off, and both vehicles pulled over. According to investigators, 50-year-old Rafael Vincent Rivera then emerged from his vehicle armed with a knife. "Concerned there was about to be a physical altercation, the victim grabbed his metallic knuckles," the Sheriff's Office said.



The video shows the two men squaring up, when Rivera slashes at the biker with his knife. Without flinching, the biker calmly reaches inside his leather vest and produces a handgun, which he points at Rivera, who suddenly seems to settle down.



Rivera encourages witnesses to call police, which he then does himself, informing dispatch that someone had just pulled a gun on him. He forgets to mention his own knife, but the biker's wife reminds him she has caught it all on film. Rivera was arrested on a charge of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon without Intent to Kill, and held on no bond. The biker meanwhile, who is a CCW (Carry Concealed Weapon) license holder, was hit with nothing but praise

"Traffic disagreements should never result in violence in our streets. In this particular incident, the video captured by the victim’s wife clearly shows that her husband's life was threatened," said Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly. He then added, "I applaud the way the motorcyclist handled this situation." "After his life was clearly threatened, he lawfully defended himself and then de-escalated the situation. The offender is lucky he was not shot."

Motorcycle Company Vanishes with Millions

Arua, Uganda, (May 20, 2022)BSB - More than 100 people, mainly motorcyclists in West Nile sub region are in shock after failing to get motorcycles for which they made hefty deposits. Officials of Sky Motors Limited, the company they say they deposited money to get motorcycles, has vanished and officials switched off their phones.

Sky Motors Limited opened an office in Manibe ward, Ayivu Division in Arua city early last month, after allegedly getting clearance from the division authorities to offer motorcycle and tricycle loan services.

According to the company guidelines, each interested rider was expected to make an initial deposit of between sh680,000 and sh4,000,000 out of the required sh6.8 million to access a motorcycle and sh10 million for the tricycle. Potential clients were then expected to make either a weekly or monthly payment for a motorcycle or tricycle while those who can afford can also pay cash.

 

The company had promised to deliver motorcycles and tricycles for the applicants on Sunday afternoon during a “mega launch”. However, on Saturday, some of the affected clients who had come to clear their outstanding initial deposits ahead of the launch were shocked when they arrived at the company’s office and found no officials in office.

After waiting in vain for the officials to arrive, the affected clients rushed to the nearby Manibe Police station in shock to report the matter but were later referred to Arua central police station.

Stephen Droma , one of the affected boda boda riders says that he paid shillings 1.36 million for two motorcycles and the company promised to deliver his motorcycles during the launch which never materialized.

Meanwhile, Flavia Adiru, a single mother from Katrini sub county in Terego district who lost shillings 2 million wants the city authorities to intervene noting that many of the affected clients borrowed money from SACCOs to secure the motorcycles.

Elmahad Salim, the chairperson of Arua city Boda Boda Association, told URN that he has received a list of at least 80 of his members who made partial payments to Sky Motors Company Ltd. He however faults Ayivu division authorities for issuing a trading license to company without due diligence.

Alice Akello, the Arua Resident City commissioner says that the company officials had been moving on different radio stations in Arua City popularizing their business as genuine. Akello however cautioned the residents to be extra vigilant in dealing with companies whose registration status is not known .

This is not the first time residents in the sub region have been conned by fake motorcycle companies who purport to offer motorcycle loan. In 2019, hundreds of businessmen, teachers, and boda boda cyclists in West Nile and Acholi sub regions were fleeced by Easy Boda-Boda Company Ltd in yet another motorcycle loan scam.

Harley-Davidson to Suspend Motorcycle Production

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA (May 19, 2022)BSB -Harley-Davidson officials say the company is suspending production at its York County plant for the unforeseeable future. The news sank Harley's stock price nearly 9% shortly before Thursday’s market open.

 

According to a company press release, the decision was made "out of an abundance of caution, is based on information provided by a third-party supplier to Harley-Davidson late on Tuesday concerning a regulatory compliance matter relating to the supplier’s component part.”

The company says it's temporarily halting all vehicle production and shipments at the vehicle assembly plant in Springettsbury Township due to a supply chain related matter. The production suspension excludes Harley-Davidson's new LiveWire electric bike. As of May 19, it's unclear how many employees will be impacted and for how long.

Breaking news on @harleydavidson. Watch @MKEBizJournal for further coverage - Harley-Davidson stock falls as company suspends assembly and shipments for two weeks https://t.co/5PkPzCPJR6

— David Schuyler (@dschuylerMBJ) May 19, 2022

STATEMENT FROM HARLEY-DAVIDSON

MILWAUKEE, May 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Yesterday, Harley-Davidson, Inc. ("Harley-Davidson") (NYSE:HOG) took the decision to suspend all vehicle assembly and shipments (excluding LiveWire) for a two-week period. This decision, taken out of an abundance of caution, is based on information provided by a third-party supplier to Harley-Davidson late on Tuesday (5/17) concerning a regulatory compliance matter relating to the supplier's component part.

Source: Harley-Davidson Investor News