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July 17, 2001 By Aspen C. Emmett A motorcyclist traveling on the wrong side of the median on South Broadway Saturday evening was killed when he collided with an oncoming truck. Anthony Swim, 38, of Clarks Harbor, Nova Scotia, Canada, died at the crash scene from multiple injuries, said Assistant Cortez Police Chief Russ Johnson. "He was completely broken up," Johnson said of Swim’s injuries. A passenger on the 2000 Harley Davidson, 35-year-old Patricia Ross, also of Nova Scotia, sustained multiple fractures. She was reportedly airlifted to St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction, but information on her condition was not available at press time. The driver of the truck, 26-year old Ryan Mosher of Cortez, and his passenger, Sierra Mosher, 2, escaped injury. Both were wearing seat belts in the 1995 Ford pickup. Road conditions were dry and neither motorcyclist was wearing a helmet. Johnson said the motorcycle was headed southbound in the northbound lane near the Sonic Drive-in just before 9 p.m. Mosher’s truck was northbound in the northbound lane. "The motorcycle struck the left front side of the pickup," Johnson explained. It is unclear why the motorcyclists were on the wrong side of the road, Johnson said, but drugs and alcohol are not believed to be contributing factors. "Blood was taken from the deceased and the driver of the truck (for toxicology testing), which is required by law, but we don’t have any results yet," Johnson said. He added that Nova Scotians drive on the same side of the road as Americans. The couple were on vacation and just passing through Cortez, Johnson said. Responding to the scene were members of the Cortez Police Department, Colorado State Patrol, Cortez Fire and Rescue and Southwest Memorial Hospital. Swim’s death is the fifth in a rash of fatal motorcycle crashes in Southwest Colorado this summer. Also on Saturday, 30-year-old Jason Walters of Farmington, N.M., died after his motorcycle went off the side of the road on Colorado Highway 140 near Durango. Road conditions were wet and alcohol was suspected to be a contributing factor in the accident. Roger and Lorraine Stratton, of Marion, S.D., died June 20 near Pagosa Springs when Stratton hit his brakes to avoid a slowing car ahead of them. The motorcycle skidded for a long distance before coming to a rest. Tony Dobrowolski, 36, of Durango, died June 7 after he lost control of his motorcycle on Florida Road in Durango. Alcohol was a factor in Dobrowolski’s death. A female passenger was also critically injured. None of the fatality victims was wearing a helmet. |
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Copyright © 2001 the Cortez Journal.
All rights reserved. |
