Comment
Print
ROCHESTER - Rochester Police continue to investigate the cause of a fatal motorcycle accident in the downtown that claimed the life of a 54-year-old city man on Aug. 19.
Michael Collins, who according to his obituary was studying be become an aviation technician, was killed when his 2010 Harley Davidson FLHTC collided with a 2016 Toyota Corolla being driven by Kimberlee Raymond, 22, of Rochester.
Collins was transported to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The crash occurred around 7:40 p.m. at the corner of South Main and Portland streets near the old Royal Pizza, according to police.
Rochester Police Capt. Todd Pinkham said on Thursday that the accident investigation remains open and active and revealed new details of what occurred.
He said according to witnesses, the lights were blinking yellow and red at the time of the crash instead of displaying fixed signals as is usually the case, with the South Main Street lights yellow and the Portland Street lights red.
"We are still trying to verify that (which street's traffic lights were blinking which color) and the rest of the investigation, and accident reconstruction is still ongoing and active," Pinkham said today.
In a newly released statement, Pinkham added that the Toyota had turned from Charles Street onto Portland Street by the Service Credit Union drive-thru and was going to proceed straight through the light to continue on Portland Street toward Windjammers restaurant, while Collins was heading past the library and toward Central Square.
In June city officials reduced the downtown speed limit from 35 mph to 25 mph due to safety concerns and public input.
Pinkham noted that neither speed nor impairment were factors in the crash.
The crash occurred just a few minutes after dusk, according to sunrisesunsettime.org
Collins, an avid hunter and fisherman, leaves behind a son and three grandchildren.
All material on this site is copyright protected under penalty of federal law