Montrose - Daily Press

MONTROSE — A Pueblo police officer was critically injured during a Saturday crash on North Townsend.

Daniel Pratt, 48, of Pueblo West, Colo., was participating in this weekend's HOG rally. He was northbound on Townsend at the 900 block, with his wife, Wendy Ward, on the back of his 2004 Harley, when a 2000 Saturn driven by Guadalupe Hermosillo turned onto Townsend in front of the couple.

According to police reports, Hermosillo had first been motioned to enter the roadway by the driver of a white truck, which could not be located. She also told officer she had not seen the motorcycle.

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Reports indicate Pratt tried to avoid the collision. He applied his rear break and skidded for more than 40 feet, released his rear brake for 11 feet and steered west, reapplying the rear break and skidding for nearly 17 more feet before impact.

Pratt and Ward were thrown onto the hood of the Hermosillo vehicle, then across it, and into the median.

Ward was hospitalized in Montrose. Pratt, whom Montrose Police Chief Tom Chinn identified as a Pueblo Police Department officer, was flown from Montrose Memorial Hospital to a Denver hospital with life-threatening injuries.

It was Chinn's understanding Pratt was critical this morning.

Charges are pending the completion of the investigation.

Comments

I think... wrote on Jun 29, 2009 4:22 PM:

" I think the driver of the white truck did what others have been doing lately...stopping and letting traffic coming out of parking lots and side street enter the roadway in front of them and then across another lane into oncoming traffic...happens at the 'back' entrance of Wells Fargo south on Niagara a lot.... "




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Loud Pipes wrote on Jun 28, 2009 12:34 AM:

" Loud pipes save lives. Of course if you have a cell phone to your ear, or are blasting hip hop on your car stereo, you won't hear the bike. People just need to learn to respect motorcycles on the road, as they do cars, trucks, etc. Oh, and if you are looking for them, they aren't that hard to see. Just look! "




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Life is to short wrote on Jun 25, 2009 6:46 PM:

" I think she didn't see him becasue if she would of seen him she would stop right away. She could of been in the hospital for what we know. I Hope the officer gets better soon. "




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JusticeForDamon wrote on Jun 25, 2009 2:04 PM:

" they are harder to see is no excuse. They're only harder to see if your not watching for them. Motorcycles are really common in traffic and should be watched for more than cars. If you hit a car they have a way better chance of living than if you hit a biker. "




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get it right wrote on Jun 22, 2009 11:33 PM:

" I've been riding for over twenty years and have witnessed some of the most horrific accidents to motorcyclists. The majority of them involved a car or truck in a hurry, making a left turn or running a red light. People just don't respect motorcyles, because they know we (bikers) are going to loose in a collision. Also, the worst offenders are drivers on them cell phones, they need to be outlawed, no exceptions. "




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Reality is.. wrote on Jun 22, 2009 6:39 PM:

" People do pay attention. They are just harder to see!! "




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Lyd wrote on Jun 22, 2009 4:10 PM:

" I wish people would pay more attention to motorcyclists. Most accidents happen because people plain out don't look and pay attention. Lives would be saved if they would. Not saying anything about this story imparticular, but as a whole. Everyone needs to not be in such a hurry, life's too short! "




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