Bartholomew County Sheriff deputies and surrounding agencies responded to three accidents involving motorcycles within a two-hour time frame on Saturday, one that was a fatality.
The fatality occurred at 4:28 p.m. Saturday in the 17000 block of State road 58, south of Waymansville.
The Bartholomew County Coroner’s office identified the victim as Luis Alberto Martinez Gusman, 38, Columbus, who was pronounced dead at the scene due to massive traumatic injuries caused by the motorcycle’s collision with a passenger vehicle.
Gusman was wearing safety equipment, including a helmet, leather jacket, riding gloves and riding boots, investigators said. Witness statements indicate the motorcycle’s speed was a likely factor in the crash. No details of how the accident occurred have been released.
Sheriff’s deputies said the accident remains under investigation by the Bartholomew County Fatal Accident Crash Team, which consists of deputies, Columbus Police Department officers and Indiana State Police.
The second crash involving a motorcycle and a passenger car, occurred at approximately 5:32 p.m., in the area of West Lowell Road and North County Road 250W. This crash resulted in property damage only and there were no injuries. The motorcycle driver was wearing a helmet. Columbus Police handled this accident as sheriff deputies were still at the fatality scene
The third crash involving a motorcycle occurred at approximately 6:24 p.m., at the intersection of State Road 58 and West Seymour Road.
This crash occurred during a group motorcycle ride and involved a single motorcycle, deputies said. The driver reported the motorcycle in front of him braked heavily as they were negotiating a turn causing him to brake heavily. Instead of striking the motorcycle in front of him, which had a juvenile rider, the motorcyclist conducted a controlled crash resulting in a minor injury to his shoulder. He was transported to Columbus Regional Hospital for further medical treatment.
The driver was wearing his helmet. During the investigation, the driver told Sgt. Andrew Whipker had he not been wearing his helmet his injuries would have been much more severe.
