Off the Net: 70-year-old motorcyclist recovering after W. Chicago crash

By Jake Griffin Daily Herald Staff Writer

A 70-year-old Lombard man is recovering at an area hospital after being struck by a car in West Chicago while riding his motorcycle in a charity fund-raiser.

West Chicago police said Alfred Marvda was heading west Sunday morning on North Avenue at the Route 59 intersection when he was struck. Police said he was being treated for head injuries at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield.

The accident happened just before 11 a.m.

Riding his 1997 Harley-Davidson, Marvda was at the end of a large group of motorcyclists traveling through the intersection when he was struck by Martin Summins, 20, of Bartlett, police said. Summins was driving north on Route 59 in a Ford Mustang.

Summins was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, and Marvda was cited for disobeying a traffic signal, police said.

Witnesses told police the motorcycle group had blocked the intersection and was crossing against a red light. The practice is fairly common on large bike runs but illegal.

"Legally speaking, the only person who can block traffic is a
(construction) flagman, police officer or fireman," said West Chicago Sgt. Eric Shipman.

Brandon Lowry, sales manager at Zylstra Harley-Davidson in Elgin, said most groups try to get police escorts for their rides, but jurisdictional issues make it difficult.

Most group rides designate a leader and several "captains" who stop in front of opposing traffic to signal car drivers that a large group of motorcycle riders is coming through. They remain stopped until all the motorcycles have crossed the intersection.

"Usually (car drivers) are pretty cool and most people like to see a large group of bikes go through and it keeps them interested and they don't mind the wait," he said.

Lowry said group rides he's been involved with have routes planned in advance to help "captains" identify potential trouble spots.

But that doesn't end the danger to motorcycle riders, Lowry said.

"Bikes get hit a lot," he said. "They get T-boned all the time because cars just don't see them."

Lowry said most groups plan large runs in the Western suburbs because there is often less traffic and fewer intersections.

This article appeared on dailyherald.com.