On October 11, 2014, a tree fell out of the woods and onto State Route 12 as a 69-year-old motorcyclist was approaching. The man crashed into the tree and later succumbed to his injuries. Now, two years after that fateful day, this tragedy is still haunting this biker’s family and the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).
A Deadly Motorcycle Crash Continues to Rock Lives
He was a chemist, a competitive cyclist, a motorcyclist, and a father. The children of this fallen rider—two daughters and a son—came together in October to file a lawsuit against BSA, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), five troop leaders, and two teenage scouts. They believe that these organizations and the scouts under their supervision are responsible for their father’s passing.
You see, on the day of the crash Troop 603 was camping in the Dixie National Forest. Two scouts—a 14-year-old and a 17-year-old—went out to chop down fire wood. They went on the search unsupervised by troop leaders, and felled an aspen tree across SR-12. After the crash, the U.S. Forest Service and local authorities declined to file charges because the scouts had a permit. The authorities ruled the incident an accident, but that’s not how the family of the victim saw it.
The family believes they lost their father due to negligence on the part of the BSA and the LDS Church. They say that the boys should have been supervised and they seek to hold all parties responsible. As of right now, the family of the 14-year-old has filed a cross-claim saying the church and BSA are responsible for their child’s actions. The family of the 17-year-old have offered a $300,000 settlement, which has yet to be accepted by the victim’s family. The motorcyclist’s insurance company has also filed a lawsuit against BSA for the value of the motorcycle plus interest.
How long do you think this legal battle will last? Should the Boy Scouts of America and the LDS Church be held responsible? Should the boys who chopped down the tree face the legal consequences? Head over to our Facebook and Twitter to voice your opinion. You can also find more legal info that motorcyclists need to know by following the attorneys who ride at the Metier Law Firm.