New Jersey man dies when two motorcycles collide

One man was killed and another was injured when two motorcycles collided in Hope Township on April 15. According to the New Jersey State Police, the crash happened at approximately 6:34 p.m. on Country Route 609, which is also known as Delaware Road.

Authorities said a 27-year-old Phillipsburg man was riding his 2006 Honda CBR motorcycle west on Delaware Road when a 47-year-old year man exited a driveway on his 1996 Suzuki motorcycle, turned the bike around and attempted to re-enter the driveway, in the process cutting the Honda off. The Honda rider braked to avoid a collision, but he lost control of the vehicle, clipped the Suzuki, smashed into a wooden fence and was ejected from his motorcycle. He was wearing a helmet but was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

The Suzuki rider was thrown from his vehicle when the Honda clipped it. He suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Pocono Medical Center in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. He was reportedly not wearing a helmet. Delaware Road was shut down for more than two hours as authorities investigated and cleared the scene. Police said that the decedent was found to have an undisclosed amount of marijuana in his possession at the time of the crash. The crash remains under investigation, and no charges have yet been filed.

Fatal motorcycle accidents often result in civil litigation independent from any criminal charges that may be filed. A decedent’s family may wish to consider filing a wrongful death action against the driver that caused the crash seeking compensation for their losses. Possible damages include funeral and burial expenses as well as loss of the support that the victim may have provided in the future.

Source: NJ.com, “Two-motorcycle crash kills Phillipsburg man, State Police say,” Emily Cummins, April 15, 2015