Cortez Journal

Six bikers killed over weekend

Sept. 5, 2000

Six motorcyclists were killed in two days in various traffic accidents near the Four Corners Iron Horse Motorcycle Rally, which drew an estimated 22,000 people to southern Colorado, according to Associated Press reports and the Daily Times in Farmington.

Most of the deaths occurred within a 30-mile radius of the rally, said Lt. Dan Bender of the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office, although it could not be ascertained whether they were all attending it.

Those reported killed were:

• An unnamed male motorcyclist, 55, who died Saturday evening when a car turned left in front of him on Main Street in Durango.

• Judith and Gerald Conover of Dacono, Colo., 55 and 58 respectively, who were killed early Saturday afternoon when their separate motorcycles were struck by another vehicle on Highway 151 in Archuleta County. The other vehicle was attempting to make a left turn onto a county road, the Daily Times reported.

• Joe Richardson, 61, of Johnstown, Colo., who was killed early Saturday afternoon when his bike ran off Highway 172 into a ditch several miles north of Ignacio.

• Gilbert Rodriguez, 40, of San Antonio, Texas, who crashed while riding with several other bikers Friday afternoon near Crownpoint, N.M.

• An unidentified cyclist who was killed early Friday morning near Navajo Dam in San Juan County, N.M., about 20 miles south of the rally.

Police responded to hundreds of complaints during the rally, including fights, public nudity, thefts and narcotics violations.

The three-day biker rally, which started Friday, was expected to draw 30,000 people. Activities included worship services, bull-riding events, a tattoo contest and a motorcycle parade.

Iron Horse board president Warren Bernard said he did not have an exact count of the number of tickets sold Saturday but it was more than previous years.

Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell was among the approximately 275 volunteers working at the rally. Campbell, a biker, was performing community service for shooting at a dog that was attacking his dog last month.

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