They were on their way to their favorite meetup spot—The Takoda Tavern—where the Douglas County Hogs were about to start their next meeting. A couple from Parker and a man from Colorado Springs were riding their Harley-Davidsons along Highway 83 when a Honda Accord suddenly crossed over the median and headed straight for them. There was no time to escape.
Do Motorcyclists Stand A Chance Against Extreme Distracted Driving?
The impact was head-on, and it threw the couple from Parker off their bike. However, the rider from Colorado Springs managed to escape the crash with only minor injuries. When police arrived at the crash scene, the Parker couple had already passed, but what the police would discover after questioning the driver of the Honda was just as shocking as the couple’s deaths.
The driver—a 27-year-old—admitted to police that she was reading a text when she crossed into the opposing lane of traffic and crashed into the Parker couple and the Colorado Springs rider, but that was only the beginning of her confession. She also admitted that before getting on the road, she had just finished drinking wine with a friend, and before that, she had also smoked marijuana. Police also found empty alcohol containers, marijuana, and a glass pipe in the woman’s car.
When the driver left the hospital, she was arrested. She now faces counts of vehicular homicide, DUI, third degree assault and several other charges. This news comes as a small consolation to the friends and family left behind by this Parker couple. Over 100 bikers and friends gathered at the Takoda Tavern on February 28th to honor their fallen friends. A small memorial marker was also placed at the site of the crash on Highway 83 near Franktown.
Texting and driving is already one of the top killers on today’s roads. In 2013, distracted driving incidents killed 3,154 people, and in 2014, drunk driving incidents killed 9,967 people. Can you imagine what kind of damage could be caused by combining both distracted driving and drunk driving? Can you imagine what kind of a chance a motorcyclist has against a driver that is both intoxicated and distracted?
The motorcycle accident attorneys at the Metier Law Firm want to remind drivers to put your phone away and don’t ever drink and drive!