2 killed as speeding motorcycle plunges down embankment
KIRKLAND, Wash. - Two men were killed Saturday evening in Kirkland when the motorcycle they were riding sped out of a parking lot, hit a curb, then plunged 15 to 20 feet down an embankment to the street below, where one of the men was hit by an approaching vehicle, officials said.
Police responded to the scene, near NE 132nd and NE 116th, at around 9 p.m. Saturday after receiving a report of a motorcycle crash with injuries, said Sgt. Rob Saloum of the Kirkland police.
Arriving officers found the wrecked motorcycle and the two men lying on the pavement with severe injuries. Both were rushed to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where they later died.
A preliminary investigation found that the two men were riding the motorycle north in the park-and-ride lot at high speed when it hit the curb and plunged about 15 to 20 feet down an embankment onto NE 132nd Street.
An approaching vehicle was unable to stop in time and hit one of the two riders in the westbound lane.
It is unknown at this time what caused the motorcycle to accelerate and lose control in the park-and-ride lot, Saloum said.
Streets in the area are closed during the investigation.
The names and ages of the victims are not being released pending family notification.
Police responded to the scene, near NE 132nd and NE 116th, at around 9 p.m. Saturday after receiving a report of a motorcycle crash with injuries, said Sgt. Rob Saloum of the Kirkland police.
Arriving officers found the wrecked motorcycle and the two men lying on the pavement with severe injuries. Both were rushed to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where they later died.
A preliminary investigation found that the two men were riding the motorycle north in the park-and-ride lot at high speed when it hit the curb and plunged about 15 to 20 feet down an embankment onto NE 132nd Street.
An approaching vehicle was unable to stop in time and hit one of the two riders in the westbound lane.
It is unknown at this time what caused the motorcycle to accelerate and lose control in the park-and-ride lot, Saloum said.
Streets in the area are closed during the investigation.
The names and ages of the victims are not being released pending family notification.
There are all types of technology to reduce the risk, but the government seems reluctant to implement them.Â
Since KOMO is lax in updating this story and the facts please go to KIRO: http://www.kirotv.com/videos/news/brothers-killed-in-kirkland-motorcycle-crash/vdsj7/
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Learning to ride or not you take the state course and use their much smaller bikes and wide open learners course... learning to ride a motorcycle is not the same as learning to drive a car... and you definately don't do it with a passenger 'experienced rider' on the back tellign you what to do good grief... this is a darn shame one person will not be here after this - and my condolences for the rider who did not make it all the way around this is terrible! Hopefully the driver who hit the other rider gets some help as I am sure they will need some conciling after this as well....
@Freespeech The other rider had completed the motor cycle course. We feel there was a malfunction of the bike. We may never know.
I'm the aunt of the two boys killed (they were men, but will always be boys to me.) Â Both were highly responsible guys, but (like many of us) enjoyed less than "safe" hobbies from time to time. Â One was a very experienced motorcycle rider, and I'm sure he was the passenger. Â For some time he had been trying to get his brother to join him in doing what he loved. Â One of my other nephews remarked that he probably pushed the throttle instead of the brake, being inexperienced. Â Obviously, our whole family is devastated. Â The mother of the two boys has lost her only children. Â Yes, I agree that riding motorcycles may be "stupid." Â So is smoking cigarettes, drinking, racing cars (even driving them), mountain climbing, skiing, snowboarding. Â Really, having fun in a lot of ways is stupid. Â Let's all stay at home. Â
 @Nick First of all, I am sorry for your family's loss. Any death is tragic.
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I also enjoy motorcycling. I understand the brother's desire to share the sport. It is very, very fun. But like any sport, it has its risks. Riding a motorcycle is not stupid, any more than skiing, backpacking in the mountains or scuba diving is. Like any other sport, you have to take the effort to learn it correctly. It is certainly more than driving a 2-wheeled car.Â
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The mistake that your nephews made, and unfortunately so many others make every year, is to attempt this by themselves rather than to take formal training. The state will pay a large part of the cost.
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How important is this formal training? About 85% of those injured or killed on motorcycles have never received formal training.Â
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I know this doesn't bring your nephews back nor does it lessen your pain but if anyone else reading this can learn from what happened then perhaps it was not all in vain.Â
@JusUsDogs @Nick They did.
 @Nick From this rider to the new rider and experienced. RIP.
 @Nick So sorry for your family's loss. Â
Another fatal motorcycle accident. Good grief!
Surprise surprise! Another crotch rocket driver kills himself because of his own actions. Maybe those signs they put on the info signs they put on the freeway should say "Crotch Rocket Rider-Watch for cars". It is somewhat difficult for a driver to watch for a motorcycle (more specifically, a crotch rocket rider) when the motorcycle you are watching for is travelling at Mach 1 in rush hour traffic weaving in between cars. Harley riders, cruiser risers, heck even dirt bike riders I watch for, I have however given up trying to watch out for crotch rocket riders simply because of the b.s. like this. This rider has killed himself, and his passenger, and probably traumatized the driver who hit this guy for life knowing he/she killed someone even if he/she is 110% innocent. I feel more sorrow for this individual than I do for the idiot on the bike. I also feel sorry for the family of this guy.Â
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You ride like an idiot; you will probably die like an idiot.Â
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@PB I am their father. I also feel pain for the gentleman that hit my son. However we know both riders were very safe caucious riders.  Do you think there might have been a malfunction of the bike? hmmmmm just saying think before you speak.
 @PB You are such a sweet hearted person. I'm sure your words are a real comfort to the family.
 @PB Just because you notice the actions of a few riders doesn't mean the whole communities of sport bike riders are idiots.This was someone learning to ride, over-gassed it and the bike went wild.They were in a large parking long with plenty of space. It is unfortunate that they both passed from such a simple mistake, but these things happen. This wasn't some stupid person being reckless on the freeway.
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Also: Just because one rides a cruiser, doesn't mean that they aren't just as big of an idiot.Â
 @PB I am sure his passenger could use some sympathy.
I think guys driving motorcycles are sexy ~ as long as they don't plunge down embankment ~
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 @sexy back! You don't have to worry about that with me, babe.  After I successfully assassinated Kim Jong Il, I escaped N. Korea via riding a motorcycle thru the Korean DMZ.  I'm a damm good rider.
Was one of them learning how to ride? We're they messing around in the parking lot and lost control? While it goes without saying that condolences go out to the families, I think it is also important to mention that the driver of the vehicle has also suffered an emotional tragedy. My heart goes out to all of them.
If by "one of them" you mean the passenger, then that seems unlikely.
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If you mean the rider, then carrying a passenger is the wrong way to go about it.
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I'm leaning heavily toward a "hold my beer, watch this" scenario.
No, KOMO, two were killed when THEY DROVE THROUGH A BARRIER. NOT when motorcycle went through barrier.
This is why kill switches and weight on wheel switches should be mandatory on all bikes.Â
 @GeorgeG. So when i'm accelerating hard (which IS legal) and the weight on my front wheel lifts and suddenly my bike shuts off, then I can sue you because it certainly wouldn't be my fault the bike suddenly stopped accelerating, lost traction and caused me to low-side.
 @GeorgeG. We have no technologies available to keep something as small as a motorcycle from accidental system activation in critical scenarios. I've been struck by cars, once while on the freeway, and rode out of it each time. MANDATE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY, NOT AN ARTICLE OF INCORPORATION. A piece of paper has never been convicted of anything. Not once. And keep your weakassed safety parts off my bike till this machinist, who has made all manner of vehicle safety parts decides what is robust in my application. My wrecks are my responsibility as my life is. Yours, apparently, are not. Are you a cop with a blanket of protection not allowed to us U.S. citizens or what?
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 @Drunken Fists Yeah, just not medical, which is why they went the suicide route.
This is a horrendous tragedy for many families. They were brothers in their thirties who leave behind children. Please be considerate before making presumptuous and careless comments.
 @rostie_sf Accidents happen. Deepest condolences to the families.
 @rostie_sf All mollycoddling the children does is allow their fathers to escape accountability in death; so that those kids they cared so much for will grow up to try to prove themselves in the same exact behavior.
@FreeCoffeeNow! @rostie_sf Just so you know, they did not ride through a safety barrier. we don't know why the bike accelerated. The front brake was locked, they hit a curb, flew onto the road below. These were my sons, see other comments. I feel sorry for you.
 @FreeCoffeeNow! You are despicable.
 @rostie_sf WHY? Their behavior, speeding through a barrier zone indicates both presumption of success and carelessness. So does suicide.
"It is unknown at this time what caused the motorcycle to accelerate and lose control in the park-and-ride lot." Hmmm, let me see. Maybe it was the man driving it.
I consider that very spot, long ago cursed.prayers go out to the family and friends what a terrible tragidy.my family had our own share of pain come from that very spot almost 30 yrs ago.
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I think you two should get a room.
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I think local news stations should not have comments on recent tragedies because too often assumptions are made and cruel things put out there with no thought of who might read them...
@GarethB1 If you dont like the comments, mark them as offensive, let the admin handle them. Its a forum for comments; the rules are clear when you sign up. Not everyone holds your view, thats why we debate here.
@GarethB1 This is a news site, not a memorial site and while I agree some comments are unsavory it's freedom of speech. I just mark those ones as 'trolls' and move on.
Condolences to the family, very sad. Please new riders take a motorcycle course, it's not too expensive and use a smaller bike like a Honda rebel 250 or similar, easier to control. Ride on it a few months before getting your crotch rocket or bagger.
 @Lbaba I knew a 19 yo who died when he crashed his motorcycle driving it home from the store he bought it from. These guys would have been required to take a class had they signed up to get their license to drive the motorbike. As it stands, it probably happened very soon after they got it, since it sounds like both were riding it.
Seattle has lost many riders this summer off of overpasses and down embankments.Â
The two brothers who died were my cousins. Our family is heartbroken. One was a very experienced rider, giving his younger brother riding lessons. The park and ride was an ideal place to practice turns and manuvers in a safe environment except for the fact that there was a 15-20 ft. embankment.
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Thank you to Winter Raven and all who have offered words of support.
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Please, before you comment, imagine yourself ans one of their children or parents or family members or friends and that they will read what you post. Imagine searching the news details of how your father died and reading these senseless comments that people leave. The comments left below bring tears to my eyes, making a heartbreaking experience all the more painful. I hope that Kormo News will delete them.
 @CB I am very sorry for your family's loss. Sounds like just a tragic accident.Â
 @CB I don't understand why the families of preventable accident victims are drawn to the comments section like moths to a flame. There's NO help for you here, only more hurt. You'd do far better to start a memorial facebook page or something along that lines.
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I AM sorry for your loss, I have also experienced a similar loss, but really, get AWAY from the news sites, there's no help for your heartache here
CB,
Sorry for your loss. I agree with you, a park and ride is the ideal place to learn to ride a street bike. That's how I learned. Sometimes freak accdents happen even when you are doing everything right on a motorcycle. Don't pay attention to the trolls in here.  Just know you are better off than them, as they thrive off of other's pain. What a sad life that would be huh? Hope your family can heal from this over time. Â
@CB Sorry to hear about your loss and of course people jump to conclusions. It's so easy to do with all the DUI drivers and what not. Speculation is of course going to always happen on a news site with our without a well written story.
 @CB I'm very sorry for your loss, CB. I went to school with Gerald and was in some classes with him.  I kept in touch with him through FB after both of us moved out of Idaho.. I'm still shocked to hear about his passing. You and your family are in my thoughts..
Let me preface this by saying that this is an awful event in terms of this family- goes without saying. My problem lies with - as others are stating - they we're both experienced riders.Â
Why on earth would anybody be conducting riding lessons to somebody who is already experienced? At the risk of furthering speculation - and I apologize in advance if this appears out of line - given where this occured, and assuming they are already experienced riders (?) - my hope is that they were not "stunting".
 @CB Sorry to hear about your loss and thank you for clarifying what happened.  People sometimes make comments based on lack of information.  This story could have easily been viewed as 2 boys driving much to fast.  Prayers to your family :(
 @CB The comments will stay since they don't violate the terms of service. This is a comment board, not a memorial page. You will not find "news details of how your father died" in the comments section so you are probably better off not reading them.
riding is dangerous anytime.... in sd last night we had a motorcyclist hit a pedestrian crossing i5 in downtown and he died on the scene.
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but riding above the speed limit and attempting dare devil manuevers will expedite the process
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Regardless of what happened and why, the end result is that there are families and friends of these two men who are now suffering...my heart goes out to you all. Life is precious and we need to remember that for it can be taken away in a moment whether you ride a motorcycle, drive a car, or walk your dog next to the road.  May we all live our lives with some kind of purpose.