Fatal Motorcycle Crash in Pontiac: Alcohol Suspected as Contributing Factor, Notes The Motorcycle Lawyer

Posted September 15, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.

PONTIAC — In a tragic incident that unfolded on Friday morning, a collision in Pontiac claimed the life of a 70-year-old motorcyclist. The Oakland County Sheriff's Office is currently investigating the case with suspicions that alcohol played a role in the fatal crash.

The incident occurred at approximately 7:45 a.m. at the intersection of East Huron Street and Woodward Avenue. The victim, identified as Kirt Stalker, a 70-year-old resident of White Lake Township, was riding a 2018 Triumph Bonneville motorcycle eastbound on Huron Street when tragedy struck.

Reports from the sheriff's office indicate that a 2016 GMC Canyon pickup truck, driven by a 29-year-old woman from Waterford, was traveling in the same direction, occupying the lane next to Stalker's motorcycle. It was at this juncture that the pickup truck made a turn that brought it into a collision course with Stalker's bike, resulting in a devastating impact between the two vehicles.

Despite Stalker's precaution of wearing a helmet, the severity of the crash led to a tragic outcome, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the pickup truck is under suspicion of having been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. Law enforcement officials took a blood sample from the driver, and the results of a blood test are currently pending.

Remarkably, the driver and her 15-year-old passenger emerged from the crash without any reported injuries.

The Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit is conducting a thorough investigation into the incident to determine the sequence of events and factors that contributed to this fatal collision.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), alcohol-impaired driving accounted for 28% of all traffic-related fatalities in the United States in 2019. In Michigan, there were 247 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2019, representing 30% of all traffic fatalities in the state.

Helmets are not mandatory for all riders in Michigan, and wearing of a helment has proven to be 37% effective in preventing motorcycle deaths and about 67% effective in preventing brain injuries.

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