South Dakota: Highway Patrol reports DUI arrests for Sturgis Rally hits 169; 5 fatal crashes

South Dakota Highway Patrol

Saturday’s Highway Patrol Sturgis Rally Daily Information

Compiled from 6 a.m. Tuesday, July 28, 205 to 6 a.m. Saturday, August 8,2015

Friday’s Fatal Crashes:

At 10:08 a.m., at the intersection of Sturgis Road and Stage Stop Road in Summerset, Margaret Rand, 65, Parker, SD, was driving a 1996 Dodge Intrepid south on Sturgis Road when she made a left turn at Stage Stop Road. Douglas Kellar, 56, Adams, NY, was driving a motorcycle north on Sturgis Road near the intersection and tried to avoid the turning vehicle. He was thrown from his motorcycle and collided with Rand’s vehicle. Kellar died of his injuries .He was wearing a helmet. Rand was not injured. She was wearing a seatbelt. Rand was cited for failure to yield.

At 8:59 p.m., SD 244, mm 31, five miles west of Mt. Rushmore, a male was driving a motorcycle west on SD 244. He lost control of his motorcycle while entering a gradual curve. The motorcycle left the roadway and struck a rock outcropping. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the crash. He was not wearing a helmet. The name is not being released pending notification of family.

Friday Injury Crashes:

At 8:06 a.m., on SD 79, mm 174, at the Harding-Butte county line, Kelsey Holzer, 24, was driving a Ford Focus south on SD 79 when it left the road, entered the ditch and overturned. Holzer was wearing a seatbelt and was not ejected. She suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. Alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

At 10:19 a.m., on US 85 at I-90 off ramp, mm 10, in Spearfish, David Young, 39, was riding a motorcycle that had stopped at the top of the west bound I-90 off ramp as it intersects with US 85. Janice White-Christie, 61, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, was driving a vehicle that was stopped behind the motorcycle. White-Christie rear-ended the motorcycle. Young suffered minor injuries. He was wearing a helmet. White-Christie was wearing a seatbelt. She was cited for careless driving.

At 10:59 a.m., at the intersection of Alkali Road and 131st Avenue, in front of the Buffalo Chip Campground, Yves Louis, 35, Eustis, FL, was driving a 2015 Dodge Charger westbound on Alkali Road. He rear-ended a motorcycle which was pushed into a third vehicle. Louis placed his vehicle into reverse and backed into a fourth vehicle. Paul Bishop, 46, Lebanon, PA, was the driver of the motorcycle. He suffered minor injuries. He was not wearing a helmet. Louis was wearing a seatbelt. He was cited for careless driving.

 

At 11:30 a.m., US 14A, mm 28, Spearfish Canyon, James Baldrick, 62, Daniel Island, SC, was driving a motorcycle north on US 14A when it left the roadway, entered the east ditch and hit the canyon wall. Baldrick suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. Alcohol was not involved. Baldrick was not wearing a helmet. He was cited for careless driving.

 

At 12:40 p.m., SD 244, mm 31, Beth Heinz, 58, Sussex, WI, lost control of her motorcycle as she was going around a corner. The vehicle went into the ditch. Heinz suffered minor injuries. She was wearing a helmet. Speed and alcohol were not factors.

At 2:07 p.m., US 183, mm 47, five miles north of Witten, Amber Baker, 37, Kearney, NE, was driving a GMC Envoy northbound when she attempted to pass a horse trailer while traveling through a long sweeping curve. Baker saw two southbound motorcycles, swerved sharply back into the northbound lane and lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle went into the ditch and rolled. Baker and three juvenile male passengers were treated for minor injuries. Seatbelts were used. Baker was cited for passing when vision was obscured.

At 2:18 p.m., SD 87, mm 57, Custer State Park, Martin Tharp, 64, Hammond, IN, was driving a motorcycle northbound when he failed to negotiate a curve. The motorcycle traveled off the roadway and down an embankment. He was separated from his motorcycle. Tharp suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. He was wearing a helmet. Alcohol was not a factor.

At 8:05 p.m., US 14A, mm 50, two miles west of Sturgis, Tyler Ray, 21, Windsor CO, was driving a motorcycle westbound on US 14A when he lost control while going around a curve. The vehicle left the roadway and entered a ditch. Both Ray and his passenger were separated from the motorcycle. Ray suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. He was wearing a helmet. The female passenger was not injured. She was not wearing a helmet.

At 8:06 p.m., US 14A and 20th Street, on the west end of Sturgis, Richard Turner, 64, Kamloops, British Columbia, was driving a motorcycle east on US 14A. Turner lost control of his vehicle when he had to stop for motorcycles ahead of him. Turner suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. A helmet was used.