"Sounded like an explosion:" Motorcyclist badly hurt, car's driver arrested for OWI after crash
MILWAUKEE -- A West Allis man was arrested after police say his vehicle collided with a motorcycle near the intersection of Miller Park Way and Lincoln Avenue on Monday night, November 2nd. The motorcycle's operator was seriously hurt, and taken to the hospital.
The crash happened around 5:45 p.m. Monday.
Crash near Miller Park in West Milwaukee
Milwaukee police say a 47-year-old Milwaukee man was driving his motorcycle -- headed south on Miller Park Way near Lincoln Avenue.
A 31-year-old West Allis man was driving his vehicle northbound on Miller Park Way, and turned left in front of the motorcycle.
Crash near Miller Park in West Milwaukee
The vehicles collided, and the motorcyclist was thrown from his motorcycle. He was seriously injured.
The West Allis man was arrested for OWI after failing field sobriety tests.
After the crash, we're told several people tried to help the motorcyclist who had been thrown from his bike.
"It sounded like a small explosion or something," Sean Manthy, who witnessed the crash. "The front end of the car is really banged up."
Crash near Miller Park in West Milwaukee
"In that split second, the life of both those people and a lot of family members really changed," Tim Tomann with ABATE of Wisconsin.
Tomann says as a motorcyclist, crashes like the one that happened Monday evening hit close to him for him.
Tim Tomman with ABATE of Wisconsin
"We think of ourselves as a small group -- but that`s an awful lot of vehicles out there," Tomann said.
There are about 400,000 licensed motorcycle operators in Wisconsin, Tomann says. Tomann says he wouldn't be surprised to hear many are out riding this week, taking advantage of this unseasonably warm November.
"This is what we dream of. The downside is when we have this beautiful weather this late in the year when normally you're thinking about snow or you're thinking about the holidays and you kind of forget about the motorcycles," Tomann said.
ABATE of Wisconsin
That's why Tomann's encouraging all drivers to pay attention to others on the road -- and make room for motorcyclists.
"I always tell people an accident is an act of God. It's something that can't be prevented. There are bad things that happen. If you're impaired, if you`re and driving and not paying attention, that`s a crash and that`s something people do go to prison for," Tomann said.
The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office is reviewing this case for possible charges.