South Dakota: Highway Patrol reports more fatal crashes, 91 DUI arrests; DUI driver Deserae Emmett kicked and bit Trooper

I 29 motorcycle crash near Sturgis South Dakota Highway Patrol

Tuesday Highway Patrol Sturgis Rally Daily Information

August 4, 2015 at 2:34pm

Compiled from 6 a.m. Tuesday, July 28 to 6 a.m., Tuesday, August 4

Fatal Crashes from Monday:

Woman riding on motorcycle killed when DUI driver Nickolas Hartwell crashed into bike with his car

Update: Rose Ann Richard, 63, Belfield, ND died Monday from injuries sustained in a vehicle-motorcycle accident on Saturday, August 1. She was a passenger on a motorcycle driven by Roger Richard, 63, Belfield, ND. The vehicle was traveling west on I-90, mm 27, three miles west of Sturgis, when it collided with a 2002 Pontiac Grand Prix. Both riders were thrown from the motorcycle. Roger Richard sustained serious non-life threatening injuries. The vehicle driver, Nickolas Hartwell, 19, Rapid City, was arrested for driving under the influence, zero tolerance and reckless driving.

Rowlett died in crash; no helmet

At about 4 p.m., on South Dakota Highway 87, mile marker 57, in Custer State Park, John Rowlett, Jr., 42, Wichita, KS was traveling north on SD 87 when he lost control of his motorcycle into the east ditch. Rowlett was separated from his motorcycle. When he landed, he collided with a rock. Rowlett died of his injuries. He was not wearing a helmet.

Injury Crashes:

At 12:22 a.m., SD 34, mm 35, Gage Forester, 21, Billings, MT, was driving his motorcycle westbound when he lost control of his motorcycle. Both Forester and his passenger, Karissa Hendrickson, 22, Billings, MT, sustained serious non-life threatening injuries. She chose to ride on a motorcycle with an impaired driver. No helmets were used. Charges of DUI and driving with a suspended license are pending for the driver.

At 9:41 a.m., on U.S. Highway 16, mm 4, a motorcycle driven by Rodney Walker, 55, Hastings, MN, was southbound when he collided with a mule deer. Walker sustained multiple fractures to his right leg. Alcohol was not a factor. He was wearing a helmet.

At 10:10 a.m., on SD 44, mm 107, near Conata Basin Road. Two motorcycles, going eastbound on SD 44, collided as they pulled to the shoulder of the road. Thomas Farmer, 47, Lancaster, NY, was thrown from his motorcycle. He suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. The other driver, Frank Farmer, received minor injuries. No helmets were used.

At 10:54 a.m., on U.S. Highway 16A, mm 46, a motorcycle driven by Roger Anderson, 68, Rapid City, was westbound when he failed to properly negotiate a curve in the roadway and crossed the center line. The motorcycle collided with an eastbound motorcycle driven by Kenneth Martin, 64, Louisville, KY. Drivers and passengers on both motorcycles were wearing helmets. Anderson and Betsy Fox, 71, Fort Wayne, IN, who was a passenger on the Martin motorcycle, received serious non-life threatening injuries. Speed and alcohol were not factors in the crash. Anderson was cited.

Too Much Firewater?

At 11:34 a.m., SD 34, mm 89, 50 miles east of Sturgis, a trooper began pursuit of a 2009 Dodge Journey truck driven by Ronald Noisy Hawk, 30, Eagle Butte. Pursuit speeds reached more than 100 miles an hour. Noisy Hawk eventually rear ended a motorcycle driven by Arden Keune, 58, Sioux Rapids, IA. Keune suffered life-threatening injuries. Noisy Hawk sustained serious non-life threatening injuries. Noisy Hawk was eventually arrested for aggravated eluding, aggravated assault, threatening law enforcement, reckless driving, no seatbelt, driving under suspension, speeding, improper lane change, following too closely and no insurance.

At 12:30 p.m., on US 385, mm 116,  south of Deadwood, Richard Wells, 62, Waterford, NJ, lost control of his motorcycle. He suffered minor injuries. He was not wearing a helmet. Alcohol was not a factor.

At 1:40 p.m., on Saint Onge Oil Road, four miles east of Spearfish, two motorcycles were going north. The motorcycle driven by Michael McGuirk, 39, St. John, IN, was preparing to make a right hand turn onto Acorn Ridge Road. The following motorcycle, driven by David Walker, 70, Hobart, IN., collided with the Walker motorcycle. Walker was separated from his motorcycle and sustained serious non-life threatening injuries. McGuirk received minor injuries. Neither driver was wearing a helmet.

At 2:15 p.m., on Nemo Road, mm 9, Jacob Mutchelknaus, 30, was driving a motorcycle eastbound when he failed to negotiate a curve. The motorcycle went off the roadway. Mutchelknaus and passenger Danae Van Roekel, 25, Sioux Falls, received minor injuries. No helmets were used. Mutchelknaus was cited for overdriving road conditions and no proof of insurance.

At about 3 p.m., at the intersection of Highway 87 and 16A, mile marker 57, a motorcycle driven by Lawrence Elliott, Franklin, WI, 69, failed to negotiate a curve. Both Elliott and his passenger, Antoinette Elliott, crashed into several large rocks and boulder. Both sustained serious non-life threatening injuries. Lawrence Elliott was wearing a helmet. Antoinette Elliott was not wearing a helmet. Alcohol was not a factor.

At 1:59 p.m., on US14A, mm 50, Jeffrey Cohen, 44, Maple Heights, OH, was driving a motorcycle westbound on US 14A when he failed to negotiate a curve. Cohen received non-life threatening injuries. Alcohol and speed were not factors in the crash. A helmet was not worn.

At 2:14 p.m., on Wild Loop Road, mm 3, James Parker III, 66, Hermosa Beach CA lost control of his motorcycle while taking a curve. Parker suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. Alcohol was not a factor in the crash. Parker was cited for careless driving. He was not wearing a helmet.

At 4 p.m., on Norris Peak Road, Clifford Reigner, 70, Barto, PA took a corner too fast and collided with a guardrail. He suffered non-life threatening injuries. He was not wearing a helmet.

At 4:06 p.m., on U.S. Highway 16A, near the Custer State Park east gate, Mario Placente, 63, Levittown, NY, was driving his motorcycle westbound. He lost control of his motorcycle which left the roadway. Placente suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. No helmet was used.

At 5:18 p.m., on SD 79, mm 38, north of Buffalo Gap, Joseph Kuntz, 55, Wilton, ND, was driving his motorcycle northbound and went into the east ditch. Kuntz received minor injuries. He was not wearing a helmet.

At 5:46 p.m., on SD 87, two miles north of Sylvan Lake, Roger Lain, 62, Merrillville, IN, was driving his motorcycle northbound on SD 87. He failed to negotiate a curve and lost control. The motorcycle hit a tree and both occupants were thrown from the motorcycle. Lain and passenger, Cynthia Lain, 63, Merrillville, IN, both sustained serious non-life threatening injuries.  Speed and alcohol were not factors. Roger Lain was wearing a helmet. Cynthia Lain was not.

At 6:45 p.m., on I-90. Mm 34, two miles east of Sturgis, a male driver was driving westbound when he lost control. He suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. He was not wearing a helmet. No name is being released pending notification of family.

At 7 p.m., at the intersection of US 16A and Highway 244, a motorcycle driven by Shirley Santo, 60, Rockford, MI, failed to negotiate a turn and she lost control of her vehicle. The motorcycle went into the ditch and Santo separated from her vehicle. She suffered minor injuries. She was wearing a helmet. Alcohol and speed were not factors..

At 7:25 p.m., US 16, mm 31, four miles north of Custer, Alan Aughenbaugh, 75, Iroquois, SD lost control of his motorcycle. He suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. Speed was a factor, alcohol was not. He was not wearing a helmet.

At 7:57 p.m., at the intersection of Sturgis Road, mm 47, Myron White, 49, Summerset, SD, was driving his motorcycle eastbound when he swerved to miss several deer. He lost control of his motorcycle. White suffered serious non-life threatening injuries. No helmet was used.

Other Noteworthy Events:

At about midnight Monday, US Highway 85, mm 34, four miles north of Deadwood, a trooper initiated a vehicle stop for a traffic offense. The driver was identified as Deserae Emmett, 31, Hazel, SD. As she was being arrested, Emmett kicked and bit the trooper. At the Lawrence County Jail, Emmett tried to escape. She was charged with DUI second, open container, resisting arrest, simple assault and escape. The trooper was not seriously injured.