Four Killed In Pair Of Weekend Motorcycle Accidents
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The summer season means more people out on motorcycles, but the pastime took a tragic turn this weekend, when four people on motorcycles were killed in two separate crashes.
It was a difficult weekend for Chicago's motorcycle community. Many people at a bike wash fundraiser in Stone Park knew two of the four people who died in motorcycle-related incidents on Saturday and Sunday, and the crashes left them shaken.
"It's a horrible thing that happened. You lost two great riders, and they're a huge part of this riding community, you know? So everyone knows them," Ride Chi co-founder Mike Taylor said.
Matt Summers, 41, and Miranda Valles, 21, were killed early Sunday, when Summers lost control of the bike he was riding and slammed it into a median on the Eisenhower Expressway. Police said Summers was driving very fast. Both he and Valles were dead at the scene.
"Both of them were very charismatic, enjoyed and had a love for riding; biggest heart, biggest passion I've ever seen," Ride Chi co-founder Simar Singh said.
Saturday afternoon, 33-year-old Bobby Donaldson and 26-year-old Amanda Damarisandino were killed when a car struck their motorcycle in Cicero.
"It's unsettling but not uncommon, unfortunately," Illinois State Police Master Sgt. George Jimenez said.
Now that the weather has turned warm, and motorcycle season is back in full swing, Jimenez said it's important for drivers and riders to be extra cautious.
"Be cognizant of your speed, be cognizant of the inexperience of the rider, and just slow down," he said.
Ride Chi co-founders, who plan to raise money for their friend's families, echoed that advice.
"I just want to tell everyone ride safe, wear your gear, be safe, and obey the laws," Singh said.
It was unclear if the driver involved in the Cicero accident has been cited with anything.