Business owners and witnesses of a deadly motorcycle collision on Tuesday expressed their trauma and concern over the speed and reckless driving in the city center.
"It was strong, scary, and intense," said Sarah Cash, an employee of a nearby business.
The crash occurred on Tuesday in the Fulton Street and Jefferson Avenue area in downtown Grand Rapids. Three motorcycles collided with a pickup truck and another car, injuring three passengers and killing one of the motorcyclists.
On Wednesday, a memorial was placed near the intersection in honor of the 31-year-old Grand Rapids motorcyclist, Wade Freeman.
"It's sad to think about what happened yesterday," Cash said.
Police stated that speed was a factor in the crash.
"We have pedestrians working in the center all the time, and it's just not safe for someone to be driving at high speeds through the city," Cash said.
She was working in her shop with the front door open on a sunny day when she heard the collision.
"Suddenly, I heard screeching brakes and then a loud crash," Cash recounted.
Instead of staying still, Cash grabbed her phone, ran to the corner, and dialed 9-1-1 as she headed to the scene.
"I told them that there appeared to be an accident between two cars with three motorcycles involved, and that one of the motorcycles exploded," Cash explained.
Austin Seamans, a restaurant manager, also witnessed the aftermath of the accident.
"I heard an explosion from the lower part of Fulton. I was coming to the end, and everything was on fire next to the motorcycle," Seamans said.
Both Cash and Seamans agree that speeding motorcycles are a problem downtown.
"They seem to go very fast on the surface streets here downtown. Fortunately, in yesterday's accident, they were wearing helmets, but that doesn't really help when you're going so fast," Cash stated.
"You always see them flying by and you can hear them too. It's definitely 25 mph down here, but going so fast and loudly is not good," Seamans commented.
Seamans and Cash said that another motorcyclist crashed, and the rider was thrown down the block on Fulton Street.
Sarah's husband, Butch Cash, pointed out that only a small number of motorcyclists ride recklessly.
"There are a handful of drivers, among the many we have here in the state, who just zigzag through traffic, paying no attention to traffic laws or their surroundings. And unfortunately, that's what happened yesterday," Butch Cash said.
Sarah Cash's initiative in being the first to call the police can make a big difference in an accident where help is needed.
"I was a bit surprised when the operator said that I was the first one to call about this. Just because this was a serious accident, and when I came out, I saw people recording on their phones and saw people on their phones, but apparently they didn't call 911," Sarah Cash recounted.
She worked quickly with dispatchers to get ambulances to assist the injured at the scene.
The Cash family asserts that everyone should be mindful of everyone's safety.
"All drivers simply need to be cautious and mindful of other drivers, whether they are on a motorcycle or in their car," Cash said.
Grand Rapids police stated that several calls were made before the accident, reporting the speed of the motorcyclists.
It is imperative that all drivers follow traffic rules and do not exceed speed limits, as an accident can turn fatal and have lasting consequences.
Originally posted at Abogados de Accidentes
