A 19-year-old Riverbank motorcyclist sustained major injuries with two broken legs during a Saturday evening crash on the Mitchell Road bridge over the Tuolumne River.
The crash occurred at 6:54 p.m. in the southbound lanes, which was closed as emergency personnel tended to the victim and cleaned up the wreckage. The California Highway Patrol reported that Michael Woods, 19, was southbound in the fast lane of Mitchell Road in a 2005 Yamaha YZF650R motorcycle when he failed to negotiate the sweeping curve before the bridge at an estimated 60 mph. Wood slammed into the concrete center divider and bounced off into the right lane where he collided with a southbound 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser driven by Janice Bentley, 81, of Ceres. Woods was ejected off the motorcycle into the windshield and over the top of the PT Cruiser, landing in the roadway. The motorcycle slid off the road, down the embankment to the west of Mitchell Road.
The CHP said Bentley pulled over and awaited medical treatment. Woods was rushed to Memorial Medical Center where he was reportedly in stable condition.
Bentley was also taken to the same hospital for treatment of injuries.
The crash appeared to not involve alcohol or drugs, said the CHP.
The crash occurred at 6:54 p.m. in the southbound lanes, which was closed as emergency personnel tended to the victim and cleaned up the wreckage. The California Highway Patrol reported that Michael Woods, 19, was southbound in the fast lane of Mitchell Road in a 2005 Yamaha YZF650R motorcycle when he failed to negotiate the sweeping curve before the bridge at an estimated 60 mph. Wood slammed into the concrete center divider and bounced off into the right lane where he collided with a southbound 2004 Chrysler PT Cruiser driven by Janice Bentley, 81, of Ceres. Woods was ejected off the motorcycle into the windshield and over the top of the PT Cruiser, landing in the roadway. The motorcycle slid off the road, down the embankment to the west of Mitchell Road.
The CHP said Bentley pulled over and awaited medical treatment. Woods was rushed to Memorial Medical Center where he was reportedly in stable condition.
Bentley was also taken to the same hospital for treatment of injuries.
The crash appeared to not involve alcohol or drugs, said the CHP.
