On Wednesday, October 14, 2020, at about 4:20 PM, Lincoln City Police Officers responded to a report of a motor vehicle vs motorcycle crash in the south 1500 block of Hwy 101. When officers arrived on scene they found both of the southbound lanes of travel were blocked as a result of the crash. The motorcyclist, identified as 57-year-old David R. Johnson of Lincoln City, was laying injured in the southbound lanes of travel.
Medical personnel from North Lincoln Fire & Rescue and Pacific West Ambulance quickly arrived on scene and began medical treatment of Mr. Johnson. Both southbound lanes of travel were closed and southbound traffic was diverted into the center turn lane while the crash investigation was being conducted. The driver of the involved vehicle, a silver Dodge Challenger, was identified as 68-year-old Gary E. Bellah of Prineville, Oregon, did not report any injuries as a result of the crash.
The subsequent investigation determined that the motorcycle had pulled out of SW 16th Street and was traveling northbound on Hwy 101. The driver of the silver Dodge Challenger was pulling out of a parking area in the south east 1500 block, crossing the northbound lane while turning left onto Hwy 101 to head south bound. The driver of the Challenger reported he did not see the motorcycle heading northbound until the impact. The motorcyclist was thrown on the hood of the car and the motorcycle was dragged into the southbound lanes by the car.
The motorcyclist, Mr. Johnson, sustained serious injuries as a result of the crash and was transported by ambulance to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital for further medical evaluation and treatment. Due to the extent of Mr. Johnson’s injuries, he was later transported by Life Flight to a Portland area hospital for more advanced medical treatment. The driver of the silver Challenger, Gary Bellah, was issued a traffic citation charging him with Failing to Yield Right-of-Way When Entering a Roadway.
The motorcyclist, David Johnson, was issued a citation charging him with Driving While Uninsured. Once the scene was cleared, the southbound lanes were opened back up to vehicle traffic. The members of the Lincoln City Police Department would like to remind all drivers to stay alert while driving and to use extra caution when pulling out onto the highway from side streets and driveways.
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