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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Monday, July 21, 2008 2:37 PM CDT
Mattoon motorcyclist survives rear-end collision with stopped pickup

By NATHANIEL WEST, Staff Writer
nwest@jg-tc.com

MATTOON MOTORCYCLIST SURVIVES REAR-END COLLISION WITH STOPPED PICKUP

NEOGA — A Mattoon man apparently received no life-threatening injuries after his motorcycle slammed into a pickup truck stopped at an intersection in downtown Neoga Sunday night, said officials.

Thomas E. Garrett, 61, was not wearing a helmet when his motorcycle collided with the back of the pickup at 9:23 p.m. in the northbound lane of Oak Avenue (U.S. Route 45) at the four-way stop intersection with Sixth Street, said Neoga Police Officer James Fuller.

“The motorcycle driver rear-ended the pickup truck at the four-way stop,” said Fuller.

The name of the pickup driver was not available as of press time.

The Neoga ambulance service said Garrett was thrown from his motorcycle and apparently suffered from several broken bones, but officials were not aware of any more serious injuries.

The Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana listed Garrett in fair condition as of Monday afternoon.

Ambulance personnel said Garrett was conscious when they arrived at the scene Sunday.

According to Fuller, Garrett was lying on the pavement in the street at the intersection. Witnesses reported that “he did flip,” said the police officer.

Fuller also said Garrett was transported via ambulance to Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon after officials canceled a request for a medical helicopter evacuation. He then was taken to the Urbana hospital, said the ambulance service.

Garrett was ticketed for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol and driving too fast to avoid an accident, said Fuller.

He also said police earlier received a report of a motorcycle on Rt. 45 “driving erratically and passing other vehicles at a high rate of speed.”

Contact Nathaniel West at nwest@jg-tc.com or 238-6860.

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