Steady files of motorcyclist roiled past the spot on U.S. 1 at Kanakakee, a few miles south of Bunnell, gaping and sometimes audibly cussing at the sight: a smashed up Yamaha motorcycle on its flank in the median, its engine crabbed by the mud it scooped as it obviously slid to and end there. On the west side of the highway, almost parallel with the Yamaha but smashed into the woodline, they could see a black Cadillac, its driver-side door sheared off, its engine’s hood coiled upward, its air bag flax after deploying.
The wreck took place at 3:15 p.m. and sent a woman and two men to hospitals, at kleast one of them by air (to Halifax in Daytona Beach), in trauma alerts, which required the highway to be shut down in both directions for about half an hour to enable Flagler County Fire Rescue’s Fire Flight to land and take off near the median. All three individuals are expected to survive.
According to a Florida Highway Patrol investigator at the scene, the Yamaha was piloted by a 35-year-old Kyle Jones of Hastings. Holly Robinson, 22, also of Hastings, was riding with him. The Cadillac was driven by a 67-year-old Raymond Girard of Gainesville. The Cadillac had a specialized U.S. Marine Corps license plate, a Vietnam Veteran decal on its rear windshield, and a black U.S. Marine Corps cap sitting at the foot of the passenger’s seat.
According to the trooper’s initial report (before he spoke to the victims), the Yamaha was traveling in the left lane, the Cadillac in the right, both going south parallel to each other. The Cadillac started to hydroplane, swerved into the Yamaha’s lane, and struck the motorcycle from behind. It sent the bike skidding across the pavement and into the median, ejecting Jones and Robinson. They landed in the median. The Cadillac swerved in the opposite direction, smashing on its right side into the woodline, a few feet from the East Coast Railroad’s tracks.
After speaking with the victims, the trooper reported that, in fact, the motorcyclists were in the right lane, the Cadillac in the left lane, and that the Cadillac “for unknown reason entered into” the motorcycle’s lane, hitting the Yamaha from behind. The release also states that both Girard and Jones were flown to Halifax with serious injuries. Robinson was taken by ground to Florida Hospital Flagler, with minor injuries. Note Kyle Jones’s description of the accident below.
The highway was shut down after 3:30 p.m. At 4 p.m., the northbound lanes reopened. One southbound lane reopened at 4:10, and both had reopened just before 5 p.m. The entire scene was cleared, with Jon’s Towing taking the wreckage away, just after 5 p.m.
No alcohol was involved. Girard was wearing his seat belt. Both bikers were wearing helmets. The 2006 Cadillac sustained $7,000 in damages. The 2002 Yamaha sustained $5,000 in damages.
Gaylee Tillotson via Facebook says
WOW! Bike week just started! Keep alert people, Cars, Motorcycles, Trucks, People everywhere! Be safe ARRIVE ALIVE!!!
dark says
Drove past this a min or so after it happened. The male and female bike riders were laying in the median about 5-10 ft away from the motorcycle. I could see their faces and they were very muddy and appeared to be very dazed, but they were both moving. Wishing them all a speedy recovery..
Patti Dacosta via Facebook says
Just after 11am there was another in holly hill. Happened in front of my daughter
correction says
One went by air. One went by ground.
FlaglerLive says
We were told at the scene by the FHP trooper that it was two by air to Halifax and one by ground to Florida Hospital Flagler.
slyfox says
Wonder what those bikers where thinking when they drove past the parts from the motorcycle??? One can only imagine. We all have to be extremely careful this time of year (& all year) of those on bikes. I wish them a safe & enjoyable ride!
Rock Hartley says
Praise the Lord that they are going to be ok. It could have been a lot worse.
Hebrews 9:27
palmcoaster says
I would kindly ask all four wheel plus vehicle drivers, to please yield to cyclist and motorcyclist as they have no protection on those bikes. We all know they like their little show off and rambling on their motorcycles but are not match for the blunt trauma our vehicles can inflict on them. As per myself I always keep an even safer distance from bikers and cyclist, as I would not like to have to deal with the nightmare of hurting or killing one. Bike Week is only one week long and after that they will be gone home and they are tourist too. Florida’s number one industry is tourism, so lets welcome them with our friendly driving.
Ben Dover says
Its a drunken party all week long, usually 5 to 6 people die each year , 13 died a couple yrs back , is it really worth the extra revenue the bars and stores make , we are all supposed to watch out for them , but they are the ones drinking and driving their bikes all over the state. I always stay at least 3 car lengths behind them, give myself plenty of time to stop , but just seems to me the lost lives are not worth the money made , you`d think it`d be outlawed , they make such a big deal out of the Jasmine Fischer case , then get behind 200.000 drunken bikers, seems hypocritical. they don`t do articles on the families of the people that die here every year , its like oh well…….. we had fun!!!
Da Bear says
You must not ride. 50% of Bike Accidents are cage VS bike.
jojostefa says
Just thought I would let you know that on Friday night I happened to be sitting in a local bar. It was raining of and on and bikers were coming in to get out of the rain. I happened to notice that everytime someone on a bike would come in they would order a Coke or Ginger Ale. I started looking around and all the people that I knew came their in cars or trucks were the people drinking. It was very responsible of all these big bikers walking around a bar with Coke cans and Ginger Ale in their hands. Perhaps if you don’t know what your talking about you should not talk. There are always going to be a few bad people in a large group, but you really shouldn’t judge everyone by a few bad apples.
Kuromi says
I too drove past this right after it it happened, police were on the scene. The male biker was face down in the median while the female was sitting next to him on the ground crying her head off while talking on a cell phone. I had a feeling the car was to blame due to the skid marks on the asphalt.
kyle jones says
This is the rider of the yamaha just got out of the hospital we are pretty banged up but ok…Lets get the facts strait. we were in the right lane and this idot in the black car ran us over then.. after hitting us he didnt stop and then hit a tree. he never hydoplaned he had four wheels i had two and i had no problem riding down us 1 south untill being rammed by a cadillac
Anonymous says
Thank god you are okay. The bike can be replaced, your lives can’t.
buffalo bob collet says
The report I just read and the truth from the rider involved seem to differ. It seems because the driver was an ex marine that the truth can be adjusted. Remember this ex marine almost killed 2 AMERICANS with his carlessness. Hang in there Kyle things will work out.
fbinsider says
FireFlight can only transport 1 patient, 1 pilot and 1 flight medic at a time.
palmcoaster says
@ kile jones. I am so happy to know that in spite of such a crash, you both are okay and hope you also complete your recuperation as well. This reckless driver should be properly penalized. I have seeing in all the years since I moved to Florida a lot of irresponsible, aggressive drivers being a serious danger to bikers, cyclist, pedestrians and wildlife. Florida laws are not harsh enough punishing these criminals at the steering wheel. Please, always ride your bike very defensibly.
Nancy N. says
I literally don’t leave the house during bike week if I don’t have to. Driving with those huge numbers of bikers on the roads terrifies me. You can be as careful as you want, but bottom line is that they’re so small that they are difficult to see no matter how hard you try.
Tammy says
Oh my I am glad everyone involved in this crash are ok, but with that being said ….. I am a motorcycle rider and also a car rider so for me when driving my car I am very much looking out for those on 2 wheels, but not everyone is as careful as I, with gas prices going steadily up there are more motorcyclist then ever before on the roads, everyone should be on the watch out for any and all vehicles 2, 4, 6, 18 wheels, I hate the fact that everyone is quick to say there were drugs or alcohol involved, or they were speeding or all the other things that are being said.. How about we all (motorcyclist and vehicle drivers) look out for each other and stop placing blame on everyone else!! Some accidents are car drivers fault some are motorcyclist fault but regardless who is at fault we want everyone involved to make it out of an accident safely and alive!! God Bless everyone and please be safe!!
JL says
It’s not fair to call all bikers drunks. My dad was a biker. Never once did he drink and drive. These two kids were riding their bike and some guy wasn’t watching and almost killed them. How about putting blame where it belongs, on the old man. Not the bikers. I’m so glad these two are ok. There is no reason Bike Week can’t be fun AND safe. Every person who gets behing the wheel is responsible – whether it be a bike or a car or truck. Everyone needs to be careful.
Joey O says
Its really not that hard to see motorcycles, I have a car and a motorcycle. Just look a little harder and stay off the cell phones. Motorcycles dont kill people, careless drivers do.
Tom Freels says
Kyle,
Just heard about this from your mom’s FB. Glad you are ok after reading this story. Tried your phone number that I had from long ago, but I think it has been changed since Brian’s wedding. Look for the wife’s FB page and I’ll try to get a hold of you as well.
Tom
MOTORCYCLES ARE EVERYWHERE PEOPLE!