Motorcyclist hurt seriously in U.S. 2 crash

The Daily Inter Lake

A Kalispell man was seriously injured Friday afternoon in a motorcycle crash on U.S. 2 near Rose Crossing.

The 46-year-old man, whose name has not been released, was taken to Kalispell Regional Medical Center with severe head trauma.

He was listed in very critical condition there Friday night, a hospital spokeswoman said.

According to the Montana Highway Patrol, the man and a friend, 39 - who also was on a motorcycle - were southbound on U.S. 2 at about 4:20 p.m. when he attempted to use the center turn lane to pass another vehicle.

But as he swung back into the left-hand driving lane after passing one vehicle, the motorcycle collided with the back of a Volkswagen Beetle that the rider apparently hadn't seen.

The man's Harley-Davidson tipped forward and rolled for about 100 meters, both end-over-end and on its side, after the collision, said Montana Highway Patrol trooper Mike Haynes.

He was not wearing a helmet. Alcohol was involved, the patrol said.

Paramedics with the Kalispell Fire Department and Evergreen Fire Department responded to treat the injured man, who was conscious and breathing at the scene.

The injured man and his companion, both of whom were traveling at speeds of about 100 mph, were using the center turn lane and shoulder to avoid slowing for traffic, Haynes said.

The 39-year-old man not involved in the crash continued riding until he was pulled over in a parking lot at the intersection of U.S. 2 and Montana 40. He was arrested on suspicion of DUI, and additional charges may be pending, Haynes said.

In a separate incident, the Montana Highway Patrol responded at about 7:30 p.m. Friday to a single-motorcycle crash on U.S. 93 about 12 miles north of Whitefish. The Whitefish Fire Department responded to the scene, but the rider was taken to the hospital via private vehicle.