On Friday night, a collision involving a car and a motorcycle in Wichita County took the life of an Electra man. According to KFDX News Channel Three, the incident happened sometime before 10:00 p.m., on the 7800 block of Seymour Highway. The 58-year-old motorcycle rider, Willie Potter, was headed eastbound on his Kawasaki when a suspected drunk driver struck him from behind. Although he was rushed to United Regional Hospital, he did not survive his injuries. The driver who struck him, 46-year-old Melissa Kay Trejo, was also taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries, before being booked in to Wichita County jail.
Drunk Driver Hits Motorcyclist
Authorities report that Trejo was traveling at high speeds when she struck Potter’s motorcycle. After she hit the motorcycle, her Nissan Pathfinder then crossed the roadway and into westbound traffic. It went through three fences and knocked a 500-gallon propane tank off of its foundation. The car finally came to rest in a drainage ditch, near the Wichita West Volunteer Fire Department. On Saturday morning, she was booked and charged with intoxicated driving.
Motorcycle Accidents by The Numbers
- In 2012, 4,957 motorcycle riders were killed in crashes across the nation.
- In 2011, 4,630 motorcyclists were killed in wrecks.
- An estimated 93,000 motorcyclists were injured in 2012, a 15 percent increase from the 81,000 motorcycle riders injured in 2011.
- In 2012, per vehicle mile traveled, motorcycle riders were more than 26 times more likely than passenger occupants to die in a collision.
- Texas is one of the national leaders in motorcycle crash deaths each year.
- In 2012, 428 motorcycle riders were killed in Texas crashes.
Motorcycle Accidents in Wichita Falls
Drivers in Wichita Falls and across the nation need to be looking out for motorcyclists, pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable roadway users. Although the investigation of this fatal collision on Seymour Highway may still be ongoing, one thing is certain, motorcyclists are truly at the mercy of their fellow motorists. Even with advances in safety technology for riders and cyclists, riders can become devastatingly, catastrophically or fatally injured, even in motorcycle accidents at relatively low speeds. If drivers are alcohol or drug impaired, they’re not looking out for motorcycles. Distracted drivers are also putting lives in danger, every day.
The team at the Altman Legal Group sends their deepest condolences to the family members and friends of Willie Potter.