Co-Worker and his wife dies in motorcycle accident

[hemibee]

When I arrived at work tonight I learned a co-worker and his wife were killed in an accident yesterday afternoon. I knew Tim in passing but we work in different departments and I didn't have regular contact with him. I never rode with Tim but I knew which bike in the parking garage was his.

From what I was told they were T-Boned by a truck pulling a boat as the truck pulled out of a marina parking lot. Tim was following a vehicle (I don't know if was a car, truck, or SUV) west bound on HWY 190 in Onalaska. The vehicle he was following slowed and was turning right into a parking lot at which time Tim moved to the left to pass behind the vehicle. The truck exiting the parking lot or HWY intersection saw the vehicle turning into the parking lot and began to cross HWY 190 to head east on 190 at which time he collided with the right side of Tim's bike.

From PolkCountyToday.com Link to report quoted below[/URL]

Willis Couple Die from Motorcycle Accident,
ONALASKA,
May 9, 2011 -
The fatal accident that occurred on Sunday, May 8, 2011 claimed the lives of a married couple. Tim and Madonna Gautreau, of Willis, both died as a result of a collision between their motorcycle and a pickup pulling a boat. The motorcycle was west bound on US-190 near the big bridge in Onalaska when the truck pulled out of the parking lot of a marina and the two collided. Details of the accident have not yet been released from Onalaska Police Department. Tim Gautreau died on the scene and his wife, Madonna, died after being flown to Hermann Hospital in Houston.

I also received an email with the below quote from Cyclespot.com
Link to Cyclespot post[/URL]

God stole 2 angels from my life
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris & I got home from a nice dinner with family for Mother's day. Today was a special day for Mom since she just lost Sid, My step Dad. We got a phone call from a good friend that 2 of our closest friends (her Brother & Sister In Law)had been hit on their Harley. We were at the hospital when Madonna was pronounced dead. Too many wounds, the blood wouldn't clot and her heart stopped 4 times, facial bones all crushed, and pelvis crushed. They have 3 sons and 2 grandbabies on the way, which they were greatly excited over. The boys & Tim's sister are taking it very hard. They lived around the corner from us and they had beer in their fridge for us and I have Miller Lite in my fridge for Madonna. I'm thinking that Miller Lite will stay in there for a while before I can remove or someone comes over to drink it. When she went to see her Mom in Louisiana, we fed Tim. We were that close. They were more like family than friends. 2 Coon ***** and Tim always had a Boudroux joke for you. God stole 2 jewels out of my life today, and on top of that it's my 14 Anniversary & Mother's Day. It's 1am, and I can't sleep. Any other night and I can't stay up past 10 pm.
Here is the report from DPS.
Report from our DPS friend lovingly known as Mushy.
The following is what I have been told by a State Trooper about Tim and Madonna's motorcycle accident.
On 5/8/11, Tim and Madonna Gautreau were westbound on US190 going through Onalaska towards Huntsville on Tim's Harley. There was a car in front of them that had it's right turn signal on to turn into a business. Where the car made it's right turn a truck with a boat trailer was waiting to turn left to go east on US190 toward Livingston. Tim went to the left to continue west as the car turned right. As Tim proceeded to pass the car the truck pulled out and struck Tim and Madonna in the right side of the motorcycle. Tim was pronounced dead at the scene and Madonna was Life Flighted to Memorial Hermann in Houston where she passed away from her injuries. Prayers for the Gautreau's in this time of need
Please pray for their family, they really need God's touch right now.

I don't like posting these but if it will help one person avoid an accident then it was worth posting it.

RIDE SAFE and WATCH OUT FOR THE OTHER GUY, THEY ARE THE ONES THAT GET US!

 

[DaveM]

Tony it is always sad when we read things like this but when it is someone that you know or work with in your case it always seems to be harder on a person. May Tim and Madonna family and friends have the strength to get through this hard time :y8:

 

[The Seeker]

Wow......so sad. I really feel for the family.

 

[Silli]

Very sad, as always. Sorry to hear this. RIP.

 

[Rocky]

It's sad enough to hear about a fellow rider being killed by the stupidity of others, but when it's someone you know or are acquainted with it's even tougher to take.
I've had that experience and know how it feels.
My sympathy to their families.

 

[otherwise]

Husband and wife in one hit. Shocking!

 

[CarlS]

It is always so sad to hear of a rider or riders going down. When you know them it makes it worse; it hits close to home. My sympathy and prayers are with the family. That would be so hard to lose both parents at once. I can visualize just how easily and accident of that type can happen. No doubt it was difficult for the driver of the pickup to see the bike behind the other large vehicle. We are invisible out there.

 

[The Seeker]

Husband and wife in one hit. Shocking!

Yeah....just think those two kids lost both their Mom and Dad in one day. That's really rough!

 

[avion]

Sad day indeed. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.

 

[Rocky]

If there is any lesson to be learned from this tragedy it's to stay well away from large vehicles that block you from the view of other drivers - especially in an urban setting where people are getting on and getting off streets with multi lanes and merging into traffic.
I live in a relatively small city, but I have watched the same scenario play out in traffic with other vehicles because they couldn't wait a few seconds more to make sure it was 100% safe. Fortunately I didn't witness any crashes. I don't believe any vehicle with a flashing signal light until that vehicle has made their turn.
It really is a jungle out there and you need three pairs of eyes.
All that said, I've also been at fault because I didn't cancel my signal light after making a turn on my bike. I've had impatient drivers start to jump out thinking I was turning into their street or whatever. But I really can't blame them for that.
We all have to be on alert and thinking ahead and about the other guy and what he may be thinking and might do.

 

[dazco]

So horrible. This is the kind of accident that can usually be avoided tho thru constant vigilance and always expecting what can happen TO happen, and ALWAYS ALWAYS ride like you are on black ice with every car out to get you when in populated areas. i always look at it like this....when i am in populated areas with any traffic worth mentioning and lots of parked cars, side streets, driveways, i always tell myself that while i am there i must consider myself in extreme danger at all times and don't expect to ride casually and enjoy myself till i am out of there. To scan every possible scenario and ride slow as i need in order that if what i see as a potential happening does happen, it can be avoided at the speed i am riding. I consider areas like that like shooting galleries and i'm being targeted.

it's when in that kind of situation that people let thier guard down even slightly for a minute and things like this happen. from the description it sounds like they could have easily avoided this if riding with 100% concentration given to whats happening around them. I don't want to sound like i'm lecturing, and i'm sure i'm not telling anyone anything they don't know. But i also think this incident also shows that we all need to be reminded on a regular basis. While riding my mind sometimes drifts when it shouldn't, and i am sure that if my time comes it will be during one of those moments. So posts like this just serve to drive home yet again the importance of being vigilant and cause me to be aware that much more. I'm not the worlds safest rider and i know i push my luck at times. But it's always where i know that anything that happens would be my fault, so i have the final word, not some 1/2 asleep cager who's texting eating and shaving all at once while attempting to drive. ride safe guys/gals.

 

[Rocky]

We had a somewhat similar tragedy here a couple of years ago.
A lady driver had pulled over on the shoulder of the road in a full sized Ford and decided to make U-turn just as two Harley's were upon her. She pulled broadside to the bikes and both plowed right into her killing the riders and their pillions (husbands and wives). The driver lived, but her passenger was also killed.
The Harley's would have been rolling along at 60-65 mph and had not a chance in hell to even brake or swerve on the two-lane road.

 

[CarlS]

What a terrible tragedy. That lady carelessly took three lives.

 

[dazco]

We had a somewhat similar tragedy here a couple of years ago.
A lady driver had pulled over on the shoulder of the road in a full sized Ford and decided to make U-turn just as two Harley's were upon her. She pulled broadside to the bikes and both plowed right into her killing the riders and their pillions (husbands and wives). The driver lived, but her passenger was also killed.
The Harley's would have been rolling along at 60-65 mph and had not a chance in hell to even brake or swerve on the two-lane road.

Thats a scary scenario that i'm always watching for. I can't count the times i see a car on the side of the road and either the wheel is turned towards the road like it's going to pull a U or i just have a feeling. I always slow to a crawl, and many time the car indeed pulls a U after i pass. So far it's always AFTER i passed, but like those poor HD riders it just takes one time where i don't adjust for the possibility. Yesterday on the way home 2 people did it before i got to them. Not close calls, but close enough that i wanted to turn around and catch up with them and deafen them with some loud screaming. So many bikers die because of that exact bonehead move.