A 71-year-old man was killed in a May 18, 2009 Tulare County motorcycle accident after he was rear-ended by a pickup truck driver who did not see him, the Visalia Times Delta reports. The victim, who has not yet been identified, was stopped in the westbound lane of Avenue 95 near Road 248 when he was hit from behind by a 2008 Ford 150 pickup that was doing 55 mph. The motorcyclist was apparently waiting to make a left turn into his residence. For some reason, California Highway Patrol officials say, the driver of the pickup did not see the motorcyclist. The motorcyclist was thrown to the shoulder of the roadway and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The impact of the truck versus motorcycle accident also caused the pickup to roll over and go off the road into a field. The 74-year-old driver, John Josephson, was taken to an area hospital with moderate personal injuries. CHP investigators have ruled out alcohol or drugs as a cause of the accident. Officials have not arrested Josephson.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of this Terra Bella motorcycle accident victim for their tragic loss. I offer my deepest condolences to everybody who knew and loved this man. Please keep them in your prayers.

According to California Highway Patrol's 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Reporting System, there were 10 fatal motorcycle accidents and 90 injuries involving motorcycle accidents in Tulare County.

In this particular case, based on the newspaper report, it appears that the pickup truck driver, John Josephson, was at fault. Although drugs or alcohol were not involved, it does not mean there was no negligence involved. Josephson may have been distracted or may simply not have been paying attention to his surroundings.

The family of the deceased motorcyclist would be well advised to consult with experienced California motorcycle accident attorneys, who will carefully examine the facts of this case and ensure the negligent parties are held accountable. Skilled California personal injury attorneys will also look into whether there was a dangerous condition on that roadway that may have caused or contributed to this motorcycle-truck accident. If that was the case, the governmental agency responsible for maintaining that roadway could be held liable. Please remember that any claim against a governmental agency must be properly filed within six months of the accident.

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