FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013

CONTACT: Captain Kevin Karley or Lieutenant David Berkley 605.394.2286

             Highway Patrol Sturgis Rally Daily Information

Below are the statistics as of Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013

Fatal Crashes:

A motorcycle driven by Roberto Gasbar, 56, from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, was traveling east on Nemo Road when the motorcycle he was riding drifted off the south side of the road. Gasbar was unable to keep the motorcycle on the road. He was thrown from the motorcycle and died as a result of injuries from the crash. Speed and alcohol were not believed to be factors. No helmet was worn.

Injury Crashes:

An International truck driven by Andrew Terrell, 28, of Foxworth, MS, was northbound on I-190 when the vehicle left the roadway and entered the median. The truck overturned and ended up on its side. The driver had minor injuries but appeared impaired. A drug recognition evaluation was completed and Terrell was arrested for DUI drugs.

Two motorcycles were traveling south on Norris Peak Road. A 2000 Harley Davidson driven by Stewart Constantine, 49, from Palm Bay, FL, lost control while negotiating a curve in the road and crashed. A 2008 Harley FDX driven by Ann Thomas, 59, from Fort Wayne, IN, was unable to avoid the 2000 Harley, lost control and crashed. Both occupants received non-life threatening injuries as a result of the crash.

A 1997 Harley Davidson, driven by Douglas Goodsell, 49, from Gillette, WY, eastbound on I -90 near mile marker 16, slowed for a vehicle in front of them. A Dodge Ram 1500, driven by Joseph Jacobson, 62, from Wright, WY, failed to see the 1997 Harley Davidson slow down and drove into the rear and on top of the Harley. Goodsell avoided serious injury. A 2006 Harley Davidson motorcycle driver, Jerod Brockmoller, 38, attempted to avoid the1997 Harley, and swerved into the right lane, lost control and rolled several times, ejecting the motorcycle driver and passenger who were not wearing helmets. Those occupants received minor injuries.

A 1997 Honda Goldwind driver, Roger Rauch, 55, from Cosmos, MN, and his passenger Debra Dettmann, 58, from Glencoe, MN,  were traveling eastbound on I- 90, near mile marker 31 when another motorcycle pulled onto the roadway from the right shoulder. The motorcycle driver crossed both lanes in an attempt to turn around in the emergency vehicle cross over. Rauch hit his brakes and swerved to avoid the motorcycle, lost control, and entered the median where he hit a delineator post and overturned. The other motorcycle operator that entered the crossover was apparently unaware he caused the crash behind him. He stopped and checked on Rauch and his passenger then left without providing information to law enforcement.

A 2004 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Michael Carpenter, 42, was southbound on S.D. 79 at mile marker 185.5 in the Slim Buttes, when the driver failed to negotiate a curve in the road and went off the west side of the roadway. The motorcycle rolled and the driver was ejected and sustained serious non-life threatening injuries.

A 2010 Harley Davidson, driven by David Whiteside, 63, from Marengo, IL, was traveling westbound on Wild Life Loop Road in Custer State Park. According to Whiteside, he was negotiating a left hand curve up a steep grade, when an unidentified unit was traveling eastbound in the curve on the wrong side of the roadway. Whiteside took evasive action, swerved to the right, ran off the road and overturned onto its side. The Harley’s passenger received minor injuries and was transported by ambulance to Custer Regional Hospital. Speed and alcohol were not factors. No helmets were worn.

A 2001 Harley Davidson driver, Ronald Lorraine, 65, from Houston, TX, was traveling southbound on Highway 385 near mile marker 120 when he felt the rear tire start to slip.  Lorraine overcorrected and lost control, laying the bike on its side. The vehicle traveled off the roadway into the west ditch. The motorcycle and the driver collided with a street sign on the side of the road. The driver was taken by Life Flight to Rapid City Regional Hospital with head injuries. He was not wearing a helmet.

A 1999 Harley Davidson XL 1200 Sportster motorcycle driven by Gregory Smeenk, 60, from Belle Fourche, SD, was leaving Whitewood on S.D. Highway 34, traveling towards I -90 when a deer entered the roadway. Smeenk stuck the deer and was thrown from his motorcycle. He sustained minor injuries and was treated at the scene. The bike was moved to a nearby gas station where Smeenk had family members retrieve it.

Other Noteworthy Events:

Devaughn Pearson, 28, of Rapid City was stopped for a speeding violation on U.S. Highway 18 at mile marker 2. During the stop, numerous indicators of criminal activity were observed from the Rapid City resident. A police service dog was deployed around the vehicle. A search revealed $11,900 in US Currency. After an investigation, the $11,900 was seized and is pending forfeiture through the Attorney General’s Office. Pearson is a known drug dealer and user in the Rapid City area according to UNET.   

 A trooper stopped a 2001 Ford F150 driver, Daniel Hammond, 43, from Gillette, WY, for a moving violation and a vehicle violation. The trooper became suspicious of illegal drug activity and asked the driver if he was a drug user. He said he was and the trooper asked for consent to search the vehicle, which was granted. A search revealed two vials with white residue and a snort tube in his personal effects. Hammond said he forgot it was there. He was not the owner of the pickup or camper.     

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Tyler Thomas, 22, of Rapid City, was stopped for a traffic violation on U.S. Highway 18 mile marker 1. During the stop a stolen firearm was located in the vehicle. The subject was arrested for felony possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a concealed weapon without a permit. Thomas was transported to the Fall River County jail.

The driver of a Ford pickup, Christopher Klemm, 44, from Louisville, KY, and one of his passengers, David Diersen, 33, from Louisville, were stabbed with a knife while driving westbound on I-90 at mile marker 105. The suspect, Daniel Brauner, 53, from Louisville, KY, and a third passenger, Erik Richardson, 49, from Fairdale, KY, along with the two victims, were all traveling to Sturgis from Kentucky. Brauner was highly intoxicated and disoriented. When Klemm refused to stop the vehicle and let Brauner out of the vehicle, Brauner took out a pocket knife and stabbed Klemm several times causing minor injuries. Diersen sustained minor injuries trying to subdue Brauner. Brauner was taken into custody by the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office and was charged with aggravated assault.

A trooper attempted to stop a car for moving violations at I- 90 mile marker 26. The driver of the Cadillac Deville, Samuel Sedlak, 41, from Sturgis, SD, did not yield to the lights and siren. The driver exited the interstate and continued north on S.D .Highway 34 for about two miles and came to a stop. The driver was arrested for DUI by another trooper and transported to the Lawrence County Jail.

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